Soldier profiles
Name : BUERCKNER, EDWARD FRANCIS
Service Number : VX23638
Date of Birth : 07/05/1913
Place of Birth : TUNGAMAH, VIC
Known as :
Occupation on Enlistment :
Date of Enlistment : 07/06/1940
Locality on Enlistment : SUNNYDALE
Place of Enlistment : CAULFIELD, VIC
Next of Kin : BUERCKNER, ELIZABETH
Rank (at time of discharge / death) : PRIVATE
Service : ARMY
Final Posting : 2/2 PIONEER BATTALION
Position / Platoon / Company (as 2/2 Pioneer) (date / details) :
Unit Transfers / Promotions (date / details) :
Theatres of War : SYRIA, JAVA
Actions :
Wounded (date / details) :
Discharged : 01/07/1945
Date Died : 12/05/1976
Age at Death : 63
Community Roll of Honour : N/A
Buried Location / Memorial (P.O.W., D.O.W., K.I.A.) : TUNGAMAH CEMETERY, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA.
K.I.A. (date / details) : N/A
D.O.W. (date / details) : N/A
M.I.A. (date / details) : N/A
P.O.W. (location/s) : JAVA
Died P.O.W. (date / details) : NO
P.O.W. Camps (details) : THAILAND
Recovered P.O.W. (location/s) : AT SEA
Honours and Gallantry : None for display
Applicable Australian War Memorial circulars : Australian War Memorial B-JAVA-0012 Missing & POW Circular
References found (entries & photos) : National Archives of Australia (Barcode 6226667 [NOT EXAMINED]), WW2 Nominal Roll, Australian War Memorial, Headstone [photo courtesy of C. Judkins], Headstone [photo courtesy of C. Judkins], Headstone [photo courtesy of C. Judkins]
Background : Son of Albert Edward and Elizabeth Buerchner. Knew VX14692 George Henry Gilbert Topfer, VX34456 Leo George Cornelius, VX17768 John Reginald Hocking and VX21783 Frank Clarkson (2/2 Pioneers). Survivor of the hellship Rakuyo Maru torpedoed on 12/09/1944 by the Balao class submarine U.S.S. Sealion (SS-315) at around 5:00am in the South China Sea, east of Hainan in position 18§42'N, 114§30'E. Japanese hellships were used to transport slave labour (including prisoner of war) under horrendously disgusting conditions. Rescued by U.S.S. Sealion.
