Twenty-seven years later he retired, having commanded both a battery and a regiment of artillery, managed a major Defence project which manufactured an artillery gun, and been the senior operations officer to the general commanding the Army’s 1st Division.  He is a graduate of the British Long Gunnery Staff Course, the UK’s Royal Military College of Science and the Australian Army’s Staff College.

In retirement Arthur has been a war widows' pensions advocate with Legacy; the honorary secretary, historian, memorials officer, vice president and president of the ANZAC Day Commemoration Committee of Queensland; and the honorary colonel of artillery in Queensland.  He was recognised for his ANZAC Day endeavours with the award of the Centenary Medal in 2003 and the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2006.

Arthur is also the honorary historian for two artillery units and the Queensland member of the Royal Australian Artillery‛s History Committee.  He is a member of the Military History Society of Australia, has authored and published several historical books on artillery and is a regular contributor to national historical journals and magazines.  He is a member of the Premier’s Queensland Advisory Committee for the Commemoration of the ANZAC Centenary.

Colonel Burke is a widower who lives in Aspley, Brisbane.  In his spare time, he balances his busy life by trying to maintain a golf handicap something less than Bradman‛s average and by enjoying his five grandchildren.