Isabel Matilda Burn

Robert Bruce Burn was the son of Forbes Burn (1853-1905) and Isabel Matilda Burn (née Ayers) (1861-1943) (reg. 1860/12962) who married at Springbank in Opawa, Christchurch, New Zealand on 14 April 1885 (reg.1885/1481). Forbes worked as an inspector under the Dairy Board Industry Act 1894. He went missing in Tasmania, Australia, on 12 June 1905, the same day that he won £600 in Tattersall's sweeps for drawing the second horse in the last New Zealand Cup. As yet, no further information has been found on his disappearance, but it can be assumed he may have been murdered for his winnings. Robert's younger brother, Lieut. William Wallace Burn, joined the New Zealand Staff Corps, attached Royal Flying Corps (30 Squadron) during World War I. He was the first New Zealand army officer to qualify as a military aviator. On 30 July 1915 he was an observer on board a Caudron aircraft travelling from the Nāşirīyah area to Basra when the aircraft crash landed. Once on the ground, William and pilot Merz were attacked by a number of well-armed Arabs. No trace of their bodies has ever been found. William was the first New Zealand pilot killed in action. Robert had joined the Canterbury Mounted Rifles during World War I (Service No. WWI 7/315). On 6 August 1915, just seven days after his younger brother was killed, Robert was killed in action at Gallipoli. He is remembered at the Embarkation Pier Cemetery in Turkey (Special Memorial A. 35). Robert and William's older brother was John Charles Stuart Burn. He died at Christchurch on 15 November 1918, a victim of the 1918 Influenza Pandemic. Their mother, Isabel Matilda Burn (née Ayers), had now lost her husband and all three children in sad circumstances. She died at her home, 30 Linwood Avenue in Christchurch, on 3 July 1943, aged 81 (bio by Debbie McCauley, 29 July 2022).