47668 Company Quartermaster Sergeant Harry Duncan Burnet, R.E.

Unless otherwise noted, the details supplied in this narrative were obtained from the soldier’s service papers at the Public Record Office, Kew, Surrey.

Harry Duncan Burnet was born in the town of Seacombe, in the County of Cheshire, on the 25^th of November 1880. Seacombe is a small village located to the north of Birkenhead on the Wirral Peninsula, where the River Mersey flows into Liverpool Bay.

Burnet’s name does not appear in the 1881 British Census, nor is there any information in his military service papers about his parents. The only bit of information known about the Burnet family is that they were Presbyterians.

As a young man, Harry was a Civil Servant. He worked as a telegraphist and sorting clerk at the post office in Rock Ferry, Cheshire, a village located on the banks of the River Mersey to the south of Seacombe. Additionally, he served in the Denbighshire Hussars of the Imperial Yeomanry. The headquarters of the Denbighshire Hussars was located in Denbigh, Wales, approximately 22 miles due west of Chester. The Denbighshire Hussars had fought in the Boer War and had won the battle honour "South Africa, 1900-1901." Their dress uniform was blue with a scarlet facings and busby bag and a white plume. Although Burnet would have been 20 years old in 1900 and eligible for service with the regiments during the Boer War, there is no indication in his service papers that he saw active service in South Africa.

Burnet was discharged from the Denbighshire Hussars after his time expired and, prior to enlisting in the Army for service in the Great War of 1914-1918. His residence prior to enlisting in the Army was 41 Highfield Road in Rock Ferry, Cheshire.

The following is a description of Harry Duncan Burnet at the time he enlisted in the Army in 1914 [1]:

Declared age:	33 years and 360 days
Height:	5 feet 8-1/8 inches tall
Weight:	129 pounds
Chest measurement (expanded):	35½ inches
Chest measurement (normal):	33 inches
Physical development:	Fair
Complexion:	Fresh
Eyes:	Brown
Hair:	Brown
Distinguishing marks:	None

Harry Duncan Burnet was recruited for service in the Army by Company Sergeant Major F.A. Major, R.E. of the Royal Engineers Postal Service, in early November of 1914. Burnet was eminently qualified for duty with the Royal Engineers Postal Service because of his civil service work as a telegraphist and postal sorting clerk and this was surely known to the Company Sergeant Major when he recruited him. Although Burnet was somewhat long in the tooth when he was recruited, his age would not be a hindrance to his performance of duty since he would be well behind the front lines when performing these duties.

Burnet was given a medical examination at Liverpool by a Captain in the Royal Army Medical Corps on the 20^th of November 1914. The medical examiner indicated that Burnet had no marks of previous disease and no congenital defects. His vision was classified as 6/6 in both eyes and it was noted that he had three vaccination marks on his left arm. These vaccinations were made in infancy. Burnet declared an unwillingness to be vaccinated again. After this rather cursory examination, Burnet was found fit for service in the Army. On this same date, Burnet’s Certificate of Primary Military Examination was issued by the Recruiting Officer, Major C.A. Wheeler, R.E., who found him fit for duty in the Royal Engineers Postal Service.

The Oath of Attestation was administered to Harry Burnet in London on the 27^th of November 1914. His was a Short Service Attestation for the duration of the war, and he indicated that he was willing to enlist for General Service [2].

Burnet’s attestation was certified on the 27^th of November by the Attesting Officer, the same Major C.A. Wheeler, R.E. who was his Recruiting Officer. Major Wheeler also signed the documents as the Approving Officer for Burnet’s attestation.

On the 28^th of November 1914 a recommendation was made on Burnet’s behalf by an officer at the General Post Office in London that Burnet be given a special enlistment in the Royal Engineers Post Service. This recommendation was based on his being an "excellent postal official" in civilian life and was probably made by his supervisor at the Rock Ferry post office. On this same date, Burnet was assigned Regimental Number 47668 and the rank of Sapper and was assigned to the Royal Engineer Postal Section under 2^nd Lieutenant D.K. Hopkyns, R.E. [3]

Because of his special enlistment status, Burnet received no recruit training prior to embarking for service in France on the 3^rd of December 1914. He was essentially thrust into the then existing Army Post organization that had been used in the Boer War and had maintained its organization and procedures since that war. Crabb (1970) [4] gives the following description of the postal operations during the Great War:

Burnet’s first posting was to the 6^th Cavalry Brigade on the 5^th of November 1915. This brigade was commanded by Brigadier General D.G.M. Campbell and formed part of the British 3^rd Cavalry Division. This Unit Field Post Office at brigade headquarters level would be the closest that he would come to the front line.

The 3^rd Cavalry Division was in reserve during the winter of 1915/16 and all throughout 1916. Duty was fairly easy and safe for Burnet and he was able to take 10 days’ leave between the 18^th and 27^th of November 1916. Even the great British offensive on the Somme did not involve his division.

On the 2^nd of February 1917 Burnet was reassigned to the headquarters of the 3^rd Cavalry Division where he served at the Army Post Office level. On the 4^th of November 1917 he was assigned to General Headquarters. He was now at the Base Post Office level as described above by Crabb. Fortunately for Burnet, each posting was taking him further and further away from the front line. For a 37-year old man with a wife and two children at home, this most have been a blessing considering the slaughter prevalent in the trenches of France and Flanders at the time.

At some point after his posting to General Headquarters, Burnet was assigned to a Royal Engineers Postal Section with the Italian Expeditionary Force. Because of his rank (Company Quartermaster Sergeant) he was probably assigned to a Base Post Office level position in Italy. He left Italy for the United Kingdom on 14 days’ leave beginning the 2^nd of June 1918 and returned to his section in Italy on the 16^th of June. After the Armistice Burnet took a further 10 days of leave in Italy.

For his services during the Great War, Company Quartermaster Sergeant Burnet received the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. He was also awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for service in Italy. The announcement of the award of the Meritorious Service Medal appeared in the London Gazette of the 31^st of May 1918 [5].

a. Promotions: Harry Duncan Burnet received the following promotions during his time in service:

Date of Promotion or Appointment	Rank or Position
27 November 1914	Attested Sapper
31 October 1915	Appointed to the rank of Unpaid Acting Corporal
31 October 1915	Promoted to the rank of Corporal
17 October 1917	Promoted to the rank of Sergeant
13 January 1918	Promoted to the rank of Company Quartermaster Sergeant

b. Conduct: There is no indication of Burnet receiving any Good Conduct Badges or Pay during his time in service. It may be assumed that his rapid promotion to Sergeant and then to Company Quartermaster Sergeant is a testament to his efficiency in his trade and is good conduct.

7. EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS

a. Education: There is no indication in Burnet’s service papers that he received any Certificates of Education while serving in the Army.

b. Qualifications: Harry Burnet received no training or special qualifications during his time in service. He entered the Army as a trained telegraphist and postal clerk. He probably performed these duties initially and then, by virtue of his promotions to the non-commissioned officer ranks, he undertook supervisory rolls in various Postal Sections.

The following medical information was taken from Harry Duncan Burnet’s service records during his time in service:

Location	Date of Admission	Ailment	Period of Hospitalization or Treatment
France	4 August 1915	Unknown	5 days in No. 2 General Hospital
France	16 September 1917	Unknown	4 days in hospital
Italy	11 January 1918	Unknown	37 days in the 37^th Casualty Clearing Station and 66^th General Hospital

Harry Duncan Burnet married Emily Sarah Colley in the Presbyterian Church in Rock Ferry, Cheshire on the 24^th of July 1905. The marriage ceremony was performed by the Reverend Charles C. Goodlet, the Minister of the church. Donald Mc Donald and Jessie Elizabeth Colley were witnesses to the marriage. The Burnet’s moved into Harry’s house at 41 Highfield Road after the wedding.

The Burnet’s first child, Ronald Duncan, was born at 13 Highfield Grove in Rock Ferry on the 14^th of April 1907. Their second child, Arthur Wallace, was born at the family home at 41 Highfield Road in Rock Ferry on the 13^th of August 1912.

Company Sergeant Major Burnet was given a medical examination in Italy on the 4^th of March 1919 in preparation for his return home and demobilization. He made no claim for a service-related disability at the time of his examination.

Burnet was transferred to the Class "Z" Reserve on the 8^th of April 1919. His total service was reckoned as shown in the tables below:

Location	Period of Service
Home	6 days
France and Italy	4 years and 126 days
Total Service	4 years and 130 days

After his demobilization, Harry Burnet returned home to 41 Highfield Road in Rock Ferry, Cheshire. On the 12^th of December 1919 he was issued a Protection Certificate and Certificate of Identity and was placed in Medical Category "A." In case of a national emergency he was to rejoin the Colours at Chatham, Kent. Presumably he returned to his duties at the post office in Rock Ferry.

[1] Burnet’s physical description was taken from his Medical History, Army Form B. 178.

[2] One may assume from this that Burnet did not specifically ask to serve in the Royal Engineers and would have accepted posting to any regiment, corps or department.

[4] CRABB, GEORGE. The British Army Postal Service, 1799-1964. The Stamp Magazine, October 1970, pp. 63-66.

[5] This medal is in the author’s collection. The whereabouts of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal are not known.

1. BECKE, A.F. History of the Great War. Order of Battle of Divisions. Part 1 – The Regular British Divisions. The Sherwood Press Limited, Nottingham, 1934.

2. LETTS, C. Roadbook of Britain. Charles Letts and Company Limited, London, 1977.

1. Short Service Attestation Paper, Army Form B. 2505, (For the Duration of the War).