Harold Gordon Burnett (SN 1214) born at Illabarook, first enlisted in 1915 but was discharged after three months ‘for family reasons’. He was a 21 year old labourer when he re-enlisted at Ballarat on March 25th 1916. He embarked aboard the Ascanius on May 27th and in November he joined the 39th Infantry Battalion in France. In April 1917 he accidentally fractured an ankle and was evacuated to hospital in England but rejoined his unit in September. He suffered a mild wound in November that took him out of the line for a month. At war’s end he returned to Australia aboard the Karagola, disembarked on June 12th 1919 and was discharged on July 27th.

Lucas’s Staffs Appreciation of Brave Men, the original Avenue register, records his name as Gordon Burnett.

His brothers Herbert and Ernest also served in the AIF and are honoured with trees in the Avenue.