Vale Alan Burt Respected Honorary Member of Anzroc Victoria aged 94 years

We received the following message from Kevin the son of our Honorary Member Alan Burt who passed away on 5/9/2019

Our condolences are extended to Alan's family

 

Good Afternoon,

 

I wish to advise that my father Alan A Burt passed away on 5/9/2019 aged 94 years.

 

Dads health had been deteriorating over the past 10years  but accelerated in the last two years. For the past four years he and Mum also aged 94 have been resident at the Villa Maria Catholic Home in Wantirna South.

 

Dad started work in the E.S and A Bank in Belgrave as a 16 year old . He had to leave home in Avenel in central Victoria as there were no banks in the small town. On turning 18 he joined the RAAF and served in Darwin as part of the air reconnaissance team. After the war he returned to his job with the Bank in Belgrave and in 1947 married Peg who he had known since primary school days.  They were married for 72 years.

 

In 1952 Dad was transferred to Mildura and returned to Melbourne in 1955 as the Accountant at 461 Bourke St , Melbourne. He was later transferred to the International Division of the Bank  based at the Royal Bank Branch. He worked here for many years gradually moving up in seniority. I still remember going in to see Dad in the school holidays and being taken up to the staff cafeteria for a strawberry milkshake. Dad had numerous overseas trips for the Bank usually based in London and from there to various spots in Europe. Most of these trip meant he was away from home for three to four months. He was one of the early bankers to go into Russia and other Iron Curtain countries. He particularly loved Czechoslovakia.  He also had numerous trips to Japan and I can remember him and Mum having to entertain various Japanese visitors at home who had very little English language skills. We had no Japanese skills.

 

Dad played cricket with the Bank side at Fawkner Park for a number of years. He was also in the group of officers who worked on Sundays on the turnstiles at Olympic Park when all the soccer teams were ethnically based.

 

In 1969 Dad suffered a major heart attack and did not return to work for six months. He smoked , liked a beer was overweight and could not switch off from the job  bringing work  home at night and on weekends.  He eventually returned to work in the Lending area but only for two years. Although 30 pounds lighter and no longer smoking or drinking he was unable to reduce his workload (due to his work ethic) and this time collapsed at work .Although aged only 45 he was never able to return to the Bank.

 

Dad is survived by his wife Peg ,  children Kevin ,Geoff and Maryann, six grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.

 

 

Regards

 

Kevin Burt