2nd Lt
David Chalmers Burns
Informatie over geboorte
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Geboortedatum: 12/10/1898 |
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Geboorteplaats: Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chili |
Algemene Informatie
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Beroep: Scholier |
Informatie legerdienst
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Land: Engeland, Verenigd Koninkrijk |
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Strijdmacht: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rang: Second Lieutenant |
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Service nummer: / |
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Dienstneming datum: 1918 |
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Eenheden: — Black Watch (Royal Highlanders), 8th. Bn. (Laatst gekende eenheid) |
Informatie over overlijden
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Datum van overlijden: 30/09/1918 |
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Plaats van overlijden: Slip Wood, België |
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Doodsoorzaak: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Leeftijd: 19 |
Begraafplaats
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Slypskapelle Plot Of Honour Plot: / Rij: / Graf: / |
Onderscheidingen en medailles 2
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British War Medal Medaille — 29/11/1921 |
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Victory Medal Medaille — 29/11/1921 |
Points of interest 1
| #1 | Geboorteplaats |
Mijn verhaal
David Chalmer Burns was born on the 12th of October 1898 in the city of Valparaíso in the Republic of Chile. His father, a Scotsman born in the parish of Craig, Forfarshire, worked as a shipyard manager in Valparaíso, Chile’s largest harbour. When the war broke out the family had already moved back to Great-Britain, as David’s father started working as a bank manager with the London Agency of the Banco De Chile. The Burns family now resided at 21 Copse Hill in Wimbledon.
David Chalmer Burns joined the army in 1918. After officer training he served as a Second Lieutenant in the 8th Battalion Black Watch (Royal Highlanders), part of the 26th Brigade, of the 9th (Scottish) Division. On the 28th of September 1918 the 9th (Scottish) Division participated in the Flanders Offensive, a stage of the final Allied offensive. The Division was part of Army Group Flanders, an international military formation under the titular command of Albert I, king of the Belgians. It’s task was to liberate Belgium.
On the 28th of September the 9th Scottish Division advanced at zero hour, 5.30 a.m. The men left their positions behind a creeping barrage. The Belgian 8th Division was on their left and the British 29th Division on their right. All objectives were captured and at the end of the day the 9th (Scottish) Division took up positions on the Broodseinde Ridge. Their line ran from the village of Beselare to the hamlet of Broodseinde. The day had been a success. The villages of Zonnebeke, Beselare and the hamlet of Broodseinde had been liberated by the Scots. By comparison it took the allies in 1917, during the Third Battle of Ypres, over two months to capture the same ridge.
On the 29th the advance was continued. The Belgians on the left met stiff German resistance from the village of Moorslede. Consequently the 8th Black Watch, with the remainder of the 26th brigade, was ordered to bear slightly north of the original line of advance in order to assist the Belgians. With the support of the 26th Brigade the advance continued. At 6 p.m. orders were received that a halt would be made for the night on the line held. This line roughly ran from Dadizele to Slypskapelle towards the hamlet of Sint-Pieter. Battalion Headquarters were established in a pill box north of Slypskapelle.
By now Army Group Flanders had broken through four German defensive lines in just two days. The last being Flandern II, a heavy fortified line running in front and on top of the Mid-West-Flemesh Range. Army Group Flanders was now positioned in front of Flandern I. This defensive line was thought to be neglected and scarcely occupied. Allied command believed that the German resistance would crumble after the fall of Flandern II. The men would soon discover that this wasn’t the case at all.
On the following day an advance on both flanks was attempted. The 8th Black Watch was ordered to penetrate Slip Wood, just east of Slypskapelle. But the attack was soon checked by the determined German defenders of Flandern I. Owing to the unexpected heavy resistance Slip Wood was evacuated. The Battalion suffered heavy casualties due to machine-gun fire and was eventually forced to withdraw to their original line.
Second Lieutenant David Chalmer Burns, only 19 years old, was killed in action on the 30th of September 1918 at Slip Wood. According to his Company Commander he was hit by a bullet, probably by a German machine-gun, while leading his men towards Flandern I. He died within seconds. Second Lieutenant David Chalmer Burns was buried by his comrades in Slip Wood.
After the war the remains of three soldiers were disinterred in Slip Wood. All three were reinterred in the Slypskapelle Churchyard. Little later the British army ordered the remains of these soldiers to be exhumed from the churchyard, as they wanted to rebury all fallen soldiers in military cemeteries in the region. However David’s parents objected to the removal of their son and as Roman-Catholics they wanted him to remain close to the catholic church of Slypskapelle. They paid for a stone in the form of a Celtic Cross and an agreement was reached that Second Lieutenant David Chalmer Burns could remain on the specially created Slypskapelle Plot Of Honour, where he still rests today.
David Chalmer Burns joined the army in 1918. After officer training he served as a Second Lieutenant in the 8th Battalion Black Watch (Royal Highlanders), part of the 26th Brigade, of the 9th (Scottish) Division. On the 28th of September 1918 the 9th (Scottish) Division participated in the Flanders Offensive, a stage of the final Allied offensive. The Division was part of Army Group Flanders, an international military formation under the titular command of Albert I, king of the Belgians. It’s task was to liberate Belgium.
On the 28th of September the 9th Scottish Division advanced at zero hour, 5.30 a.m. The men left their positions behind a creeping barrage. The Belgian 8th Division was on their left and the British 29th Division on their right. All objectives were captured and at the end of the day the 9th (Scottish) Division took up positions on the Broodseinde Ridge. Their line ran from the village of Beselare to the hamlet of Broodseinde. The day had been a success. The villages of Zonnebeke, Beselare and the hamlet of Broodseinde had been liberated by the Scots. By comparison it took the allies in 1917, during the Third Battle of Ypres, over two months to capture the same ridge.
On the 29th the advance was continued. The Belgians on the left met stiff German resistance from the village of Moorslede. Consequently the 8th Black Watch, with the remainder of the 26th brigade, was ordered to bear slightly north of the original line of advance in order to assist the Belgians. With the support of the 26th Brigade the advance continued. At 6 p.m. orders were received that a halt would be made for the night on the line held. This line roughly ran from Dadizele to Slypskapelle towards the hamlet of Sint-Pieter. Battalion Headquarters were established in a pill box north of Slypskapelle.
By now Army Group Flanders had broken through four German defensive lines in just two days. The last being Flandern II, a heavy fortified line running in front and on top of the Mid-West-Flemesh Range. Army Group Flanders was now positioned in front of Flandern I. This defensive line was thought to be neglected and scarcely occupied. Allied command believed that the German resistance would crumble after the fall of Flandern II. The men would soon discover that this wasn’t the case at all.
On the following day an advance on both flanks was attempted. The 8th Black Watch was ordered to penetrate Slip Wood, just east of Slypskapelle. But the attack was soon checked by the determined German defenders of Flandern I. Owing to the unexpected heavy resistance Slip Wood was evacuated. The Battalion suffered heavy casualties due to machine-gun fire and was eventually forced to withdraw to their original line.
Second Lieutenant David Chalmer Burns, only 19 years old, was killed in action on the 30th of September 1918 at Slip Wood. According to his Company Commander he was hit by a bullet, probably by a German machine-gun, while leading his men towards Flandern I. He died within seconds. Second Lieutenant David Chalmer Burns was buried by his comrades in Slip Wood.
After the war the remains of three soldiers were disinterred in Slip Wood. All three were reinterred in the Slypskapelle Churchyard. Little later the British army ordered the remains of these soldiers to be exhumed from the churchyard, as they wanted to rebury all fallen soldiers in military cemeteries in the region. However David’s parents objected to the removal of their son and as Roman-Catholics they wanted him to remain close to the catholic church of Slypskapelle. They paid for a stone in the form of a Celtic Cross and an agreement was reached that Second Lieutenant David Chalmer Burns could remain on the specially created Slypskapelle Plot Of Honour, where he still rests today.
Bronnen 5
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"A History of the Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) in the Great War, 1914-1918 (Volume Three: New Army)", Wauchope A.G. (ed.), London, The Medici Society Limited, 1926, pg. 64-69. Gebruikte bronnen |
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Ancestry http://home.ancestry.co.uk/ Verdere verwijzing |
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CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/163808/burns,-david-chalmers/ Gebruikte bronnen |
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The Long, Long Trail http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/ Gebruikte bronnen |
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War Diary Somerset Black Watch (Royal Highlanders), 8th Bn. http://www.nmarchive.com/ Verdere verwijzing |