Jun 28, 1879
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Born in Birmingham, England
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Mar 23, 1915
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Attested into the 21st
Battalion CEF in Lindsay, Ontario
Ø Number 59120 (temporary number 1341)
Ø Next of kin given as James Burns, brother, 42nd
Grenadier Guards
o Note to also notify Miss Beaty Burns, sister, 10
McDonald Ave., Birmingham, England
Ø Previous occupation given as Labourer
Ø Previous military experience given as Course of
Instruction in Toronto, Ontario
Ø Religion given as Church of England
Ø Posted to “B” Company
The battalion trained in the
Kingston area through the winter with headquarters in the Kingston Armouries
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May 6, 1915
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Embarked the RMS Metagama in
Montreal, Quebec
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May 15, 1915
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Disembarked in Devonport, England
and the battalion proceeded to the West Sandling Camp, near Hythe, Kent to
continue training
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Jul 14, 1915
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Fined $2.00 for Drunkenness
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Sep 6, 1915
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Forfeited 2 days pay for being
absent and restricted to ½ pay for 2 months as punishment
Now noted as a member of “C”
Company
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Sep 14, 1915
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Embarked the St. Seiriol in
Folkestone
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Sep 15, 1915
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Disembarked in Boulogne,
France and the battalion proceeded to St. Omer
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Oct 26, 1915
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Sentenced to 5 days Field
Punishment No. 2 for being absent from Commanding Officer’s Parade
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Dec 10, 1915
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While the battalion was being
relieved from the front line near Voormezeele, Belgium on the Ypres Salient,
Private Burns sprained an ankle and was admitted to the No. 5 CFA (Canadian
Field Ambulance) for first aid before being transferred to the Division’s
Rest Station at Loker, Belgium for treatment
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Dec 13, 1915
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Discharged to duty from the
rest station and rejoined the battalion
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Feb 1, 1916
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Sentenced to 28 days Field
Punishment #1 for being absent from 2 pm parade and returning at 3:15 pm
drunk
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Apr 15, 1916
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Arrested by Military Police
for being drunk and placed in custody to await Court Martial. The 2nd Division Provost Martial
recorded in their war diary that several men from the 21st
Battalion had entered the town of Reningelst, Belgium and caused a
disturbance after getting drunk. It
was recorded that one soldier (not named) had created a further disturbance
when being arrested and had to be handcuffed.
The 21st Battalion was resting in the B Camp, a little over
2km away.
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May 1, 1916
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Field General Court Martial
held and Private Burns was tried for
Ø Absent from Camp
Ø Drunkenness
He was found guilty on both
charges and sentenced to 2 months Field Punishment #1
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Sep 15, 1916
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During the 21st
Battalion’s attack on the strongly defended German Headquarters in the sugar
factory south of Courcelette, France, Private Burns was buried by the
explosion of an artillery shell. He
was dug out by his comrades and evacuated to the No. 9 Canadian Field
Ambulance for first aid before being transported to the No. 29 CCS (Casualty
Clearing Station) for treatment of a bruised back
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Sep 16, 1916
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Transferred via the No. 4 AT
(Ambulance Train) and admitted to the No. 2 Canadian Stationary Hospital in
Outreau, France
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Sep 24, 1916
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Transferred to the No. 1
Convalescent Depot to continue his recovery at the No. 2 Large Rest Camp
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Sep 28, 1916
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Transferred to the No. 3 Large
Rest Camp in Boulogne
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Sep 30, 1916
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Sentenced to 28 days Field
Punishment #1 for being AWL (Absent Without Leave) and Drunkenness
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Oct 2, 1916
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Transferred to the Canadian
Base Depot in the Rouelles Camp, Havre as a prisoner to serve his punishment
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Oct 16, 1916
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After leaving the base depot
Private Burns was escorted to the 21st Battalion in billets in
Divion as a prisoner
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Oct 19, 1916
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Attached to the 4th
Field Company, Canadian Engineers for duty
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Nov 12, 1916
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Rejoined the 21st
Battalion from the 4th Field Company
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Dec 7, 1916
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Sentenced to 14 days Field Punishment
#1 for
Ø Being absent from
roll call
Ø Leaving billets without
permission
Ø Being drunk
He also forfeited 1 day’s pay
for his absence
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Dec 12, 1916
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Admitted to the No. 5 Canadian
Field Ambulance with a diagnosis that reads Bronchitis and Laryngitis. He was transferred the same day to the No.
4 Canadian Field Ambulance
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Jan 1, 1917
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Discharged to duty from the
field ambulance
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Jan 4, 1917
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Granted 10 days leave
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Jan 15, 1917
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Rejoined the battalion from
leave
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Mar 9, 1917
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Admitted to the No. 2 Canadian
Field Ambulance with a Carbuncle on his neck
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Mar 13, 1917
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Discharged to the Canadian
Base Depot in the Rouelles Camp, Havre after being medically classified for
base duty only
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Apr 6, 1917
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Forfeited all pay for 14 days
for being drunk
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Apr 26, 1917
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Classified for Permanent Base
duty only and attached to the Commandant in Etaples for duty
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Apr 29, 1917
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Attached to the CASC (Canadian
Army Service Corps) No. 10 Supply Depot in Etaples for duty
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Jun 21, 1917
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Admitted to the No. 7 Canadian
General Hospital in Etaples with a diagnosis that reads PUO (Pyrexia of
Unknown Origin), a fever without a known cause
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Jun 29, 1917
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Discharged to duty and
transferred to the No. 2 CIBD (Canadian Infantry Base Depot) in Etaples
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Jul 19, 1917
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Transferred to the 3rd
Canadian Labour Battalion
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Sep 17, 1917
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Sentenced to 28 days Field
Punishment #1 for
Ø Absent from work
party on September 15
Ø Absent from work
party on September 16
Ø Absent from roll
call until 9:45 pm September 16
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Nov 10, 1917
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Sentenced to a pay reduction
of 10 Francs per month for leaving camp without permission on November 6,
1917
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Nov 19, 1917
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Forfeited 2 days pay for being
absent from 9.00 am November 17 to 7:00 am November 18, 1917
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Nov 25, 1917
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The 3rd Canadian
Labour Battalion was renamed the 11th Battalion Canadian Railway
Troops
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Dec 1, 1917
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Transferred to the Canadian
Garrison Base Depot
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Dec 3, 1917
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Medical classification changed
to B2 meaning he was fit for non-combat outdoor duty
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Dec 17, 1917
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Transferred to the Canadian
Labour Pool
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Jan 9, 1918
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Joined the CCRC (Canadian
Corps Reinforcement Camp) in Calonne Ricouart, France
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Jan 12, 1918
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Sentenced to 28 days Field
Punishment #1 for Drunkenness
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Feb 11, 1918
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Attached to the 1st
Army “C” Dump for duty
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Feb 22, 1918
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Sentenced to 7 days Confined
to Camp for negligently firing his rifle
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Mar 16, 1918
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Granted 14 days leave to
England
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Apr 10, 1918
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Rejoined unit from leave
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May 6, 1918
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Transferred to the 2nd
Canadian Infantry Works Battalion
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Jun 4, 1918
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Admitted to the No. 75 Field
Ambulance with a diagnosis that reads Myalgia. He was transferred the same day to the
casualty clearing station
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Jun 6, 1918
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Transferred via the No. 24
Ambulance Train and admitted to the No. 32 Stationary Hospital in Wimereux,
France
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Jun 13, 1918
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Transferred to the CGBD
(Canadian Garrison Base Depot) and attached to the No. 1 Convalescent Depot
and admitted to the No. 5 Rest Camp
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Jun 17, 1918
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Medical category maintained by
Medical Board as B2
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Jul 3, 1918
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Transferred to the CPB
(Canadian Pontoon Bridge) Engineers
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Jul 5, 1918
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Private Burns joined the
Pontoon Bridge Engineers in Burbure, France
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Sep 11, 1918
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Sentenced to 14 days Field
Punishment #1 for being absent from 1 pm September 9, to 10:05 pm September
10, while serving a punishment of being confined to barracks. He also forfeited 2 days’ pay
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Sep 24, 1918
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Admitted to the British Red
Cross Hospital with a diagnosis that reads Neurasthenia
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Oct 27, 1918
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Transferred via the 2/1 London
Field Ambulance and admitted to the No. 12 Stationary Hospital
On admission he was nervous at
the sound of shells exploding, sleeps poorly, and has tremors
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Oct 30, 1918
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Transferred via the No. 7
Ambulance Train and admitted to the No. 22 General Hospital in Camiers,
France
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Nov 3, 1918
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Invalided to England aboard
the Hospital Ship Stad Antwerpen
On arrival in England he was
admitted to the 3rd Western General Hospital
Transferred to the CERD
(Canadian Engineers Regimental Depot) for pay purposes while in hospital
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Nov 13, 1918
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Transferred to the Canadian
Red Cross Special Hospital in Buxton
On admission he was noted as
being poorly nourished and 25 lbs under weight, his muscles were soft and
flabby, his reflexes were highly exaggerated and he complained of pains all
over his body. Noted as “a typical war
neurosis” with the usual symptoms
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Jan 3, 1919
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Transferred to the No. 5
Canadian General Hospital in Liverpool with a recommendation that he be
invalided to Canada
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Jan 13, 1919
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Embarked the SS Essequibo in
Liverpool
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Jan 25, 1919
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Disembarked in Halifax, Nova
Scotia and proceeded to Montreal, Quebec
On arrival in Montreal,
Private Burns was granted leave until February 12, 1919. On completion of leave he was admitted to
the Ste. Anne’s Military Hospital in Ste. Anne de Bellevue
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Mar 6, 1919
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Transferred to the Casualty
Company
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Mar 10, 1919
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Discharged from the CEF in
Montreal, Quebec
Ø Rank on discharge
Sapper
Ø War Service Badge
Class “A” issued number 248099
Ø Proposed residence
on discharge General Post Office, Montreal, Quebec
Following his discharge, the
1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medals were sent to him at 369
King St. W., Toronto, Ontario
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May 28, 1965
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John Burns died in the
Sunnybrook Veteran’s Hospital Toronto, Ontario and was buried in the York Cemetery,
Toronto
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