PRESS RELEASE: Hundreds of Thousands of our Returned War Heroes have been Forgotten by not being Named on Community War Memorials. Why?
Author Ian D. Burrett JP Announces the Release of an Important Addition to Australian Military Literature, How to Research and Honour our Returned War Heroes.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
According to the Australian War Memorial, over 50,000 World War One veterans died within ten years of their return. Most were aged in their 20’s and 30’s and many committed suicide. Many more, along with their families, endured the debilitating physical, mental and emotional pain that combat inevitably causes. Ian D. Burrett JP, the author of How to Research and Honour our Returned War Heroes advocates on behalf of these service men and women in seeking to ensure they are each recognised for their service and sacrifice by being named on community war memorials.
With Remembrance Day approaching, now is the perfect time to commence setting the record straight by acknowledging all those who served in all wars and conflicts and whose sacrifice bought the very freedom we currently enjoy.
Early in 2015, Ian initiated a project to update the Lithgow and District WWI Memorials to include all local heroes who fought, those who died and those who returned. With no support from the local RSL sub-Branch or local council and no published guidelines for community based research available through either the RSL, Australian War Memorial, Department of Veterans’ Affairs nor the National Archives of Australia, Ian ultimately forged his own pathway through the bureaucracy and has recorded his learnings in this book. Without guidelines, many communities have assumed the task of updating their war memorials too difficult.
With over 1500 hours and over 500 pages of research, Ian’s advocacy resulted in the installation of a plaque to honour a further 762 Lithgow township WWI heroes, 72 of those who had in fact died in battle and were not mentioned on the original WWI Cenotaph. Ian’s request for the establishment of an Office to Honour Returned Service People as part of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs has thus far been ignored, so too the hope that such an office would produce a comprehensive set of guidelines to ensure that none would be forgotten.
Virtually a textbook, How to Research and Honour our Returned War Heroes provides step by step guidelines to assist councils and RSL sub-Branches to work with their communities to update their war memorials. In addition, the book provides comprehensive assistance to individuals wishing to research their ancestors who served, the units they served in and how to purchase replica service medals.
How to Research and Honour our Returned War Heroes is published by Sid-Harta Books & Print Pty Ltd and is available via the author’s website www.howtoresearchwarheroes.com with a RRP of $39.99.
Review
“One person with conviction and vision can change the world. Ian Burrett is one such man. Imbued with the qualities of his decorated father who served and fought for Australia in World War One, Ian’s determination to find and recognise all those men and women who have served on our nation’s memorials is the stuff of legend.” Dr Brendan Nelson AO, former Director of the Australian War Memorial (2012-2019)
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Ian D. Burrett JP is a Vietnam veteran and treasurer of the Portland (NSW) RSL sub-Branch. His NSW car number plates read LESTWF. His mother was born on the 11th of November 1915, whilst his father, 568 Lt Col Athol Frederick Burrett DSO MID (pictured left on book cover), was fighting at Gallipoli. Athol was one of less than 300 of the 12,000 Australian’s who landed at Gallipoli on the 25th and 26th of April 1915, to be still fighting when the war ended. At the Lone Pine Centenary Service at Gallipoli on 6 August 2015, Ian, after laying the last wreath, blew a replica of the whistle his father blew, almost exactly 100 years previously, to lead the Lone Pine charge which concluded the ABC TV coverage of the event.
Further Information
Issued on behalf of author, Ian D. Burrett JP by DO’KREATIVE. Contact Dannielle O’Keefe on 0412 089 160 or email at [email protected] with media enquiries.
