VALE Major Bill Burton, OAM, RAAC

CAPTION: Corporal Bill Burton (far left) and colleagues from 1 Troop, C Squadron, 1st Armoured Regiment, RAAC, speak with General William Westmoreland, Commander, US Military Assistance Command Vietnam, about an enemy attack on Fire Support Base Coral. Photo by Kevin Thurgar – AWM file THU/68/0566/VN

Only the best qualified for the Royal Australian Armoured Corps, 

He was undoubtedly one of the best of the best, 

He was a crewman, a crew commander, a senior NCO, and an officer,

His forte was gunnery and he was a talented instructor, 

He asked for perfection and accepted nothing less from his students than a determined effort to reach that goal,

He was one of the very few who did two ‘tours’ on Centurions in Vietnam,

He was a combat tank soldier, competent and aggressive; he transmitted confidence, 

His knowledge of his tank and his confidence in his crew enabled him to fight and survive,

He was hard, he was kind, he was helpful, he was efficient,

He kept his word and didn’t let you down,

He was tenacious and determined, he was principled, 

He set high standards for himself and others, 

He was the epitome of a professional soldier,

He inspired other instructors and helped lift the team,

He was always a valued asset, reliable and loyal … unwavering,

He was resilient when things did not go his way,

He was both a gentleman and a character of the Corps,

He was a good friend to many, trustworthy and predictable,

His promotion to major was a destiny fulfilled and deeply deserved,

We were lucky to know him and to have had him in our lives,

His is an enduring legacy,

Lest we forget.

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Vignettes

Trooper Bill Burton recalls his introduction to the Army: “As young soldiers, we marched into Forward Delivery Troop (Puckapunyal) where we all attended a two-week Indoctrination Course, before joining crewmen’s courses in the training wings.  Captain John Haynes was the OC and WO2 Percy White, the Troop Sergeant Major (TSM). We studied things like: map reading, by day and night; customs of the service; basic radio procedure (for being range picket); national flags of at least ten different countries; ranks of all three services, etc.  We were also taught the history of the 1st Armd Regt and the Regimental Marches in quick and slow time etc. The TSM was an absolute stickler for detail”.

It was not surprising that his dedication and hard work were recognised.  The then Captain Burton was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 1985 in recognition of his service as Assistant Project Officer, Army Training Facilities Project, NSW. 

In retirement, Major Burton came to appreciate that not all medals had been issued to one of the crewmen who had been wounded during his second ‘tour’.  As was his wont, he set about rectifying the oversight: “I am honoured and delighted to attend this historic occasion and further honoured to be able to pin this now completed ribbon bar on the late Phillip Barwick’s uniform, as a measure of the high esteem that his colleagues, comrades and mates hold him.”   

From his comrades

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