FBS Posted 25 August , 2014 Share Posted 25 August , 2014 Hello, This is my first post so please forgive if I am barking up the wrong tree.I have read the Long Long trail and I cannot get to the National Archives and I think the gentleman in question may have been in service post 1923. About 20 years ago, I bought two trench maps, showing the area to the east of Amiens and north as far as Albert. Being an aviation type, these cover the area of the Richthofen last flight. Both of these maps have a name pencilled on them and that is Lt F W Burnett. One map is corrected to June 1918 and the other to July. The London Gazette has an F W Burnett being made up from 2nd to full Lieutenant in September 1918 and a quick search shows him as being either Royal Field Artillery or Royal Engineers or, of course, both. What I would like to find out is what part of the service he was in and where they were based. Since the maps are dated June and July 1918, would they have still been current in September if that is when he was promoted to 1st Lieutenant? Of course, the London Gazette could have been a little late in publishing the news, there must have been a lead time. The German retreat would have started by September so would those maps have been update that much? At some point I want to take the maps back to France and it would be nice to retrace some of the steps the man who wrote his name on them. Plus, I have owned them for over twenty years and I would like to know more about a previous owner.I bought them from a dealer who lived in Andover, so it is possible that Burnett was from that area. I got them in the early 1990s so the owner may have held on to them and they were disposed of after his death. Back then there were still a few veterans left who were in their late 80s and 90s. The fact that two were bought with the same names on them suggests they were recently on the market since they could have been dispersed. Just fishing for clues! Melvyn Hiscock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delta Posted 26 August , 2014 Share Posted 26 August , 2014 Melvyn Welcome to the Forum. Regret I have drawn a blank with FW Burneyy but another pal may be able to assist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Carter Posted 26 August , 2014 Share Posted 26 August , 2014 In the Western Mail published on Monday 7 October 1918 there is a little snippet it may be of help or not "Lt F W Burnett R.E., brother of Miss Burnett a teacher at Bridgend County School, has also been awarded the M.C. Having been wounded he is now in a convalescent hospital in England" Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CGM Posted 26 August , 2014 Share Posted 26 August , 2014 The F W BURNETT, R.E., with a sister who was a teacher in Bridgend could well be Frederick W BURNETT, Architect and Surveyor, age 26, living with his mother and sister, a County School Mistress, in Ynysawdre*, Glamorganshire, Wales in 1911. * The registration district for this parish is Bridgend. CGM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FBS Posted 26 August , 2014 Author Share Posted 26 August , 2014 Thanks, is there any way of finding out where he may have been around jun to September 1918? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tootrock Posted 26 August , 2014 Share Posted 26 August , 2014 The following from the Glamorgan Gazette, 10 December 1915: TONDU MAN GAZETTED. Mr. F. W. Burnett, late of Tondu, has been gazetted to a Commission in the Royal Engineers, Wessex Division, and will be stationed at Bath. Lieutenant Burnett came over from Canada in the spring with a draft of the Canadian Engineers, and sailed in the Hesperian," the boat which was torpedoed on her return voyage. The following from the Glamorgan Gazette, 4 October 1918: The Military Cross.—The inhabitants of this district will be interested to hear that Lieut. F. W. Burnett, R.E., brother of Miss Burnett (a teacher at Bridgend County School) has been awarded the Military Cross for service in the field. He was hit in the right hand on August 8th at the commencement of the second battle of the Somme, and is now in a convalescent hospital in England. Tondu is a village on the outskirts of Bridgend. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FBS Posted 11 October , 2017 Author Share Posted 11 October , 2017 It has been a while since the last posting but various small details have been found, and thanks to everyone for their help. The citation for the MC says that he was wounded in the hand but had taken a machine gun from a knocked out tank and attacke a sniper. My maps would have certainly been with him then. I would like to find out where this happened as I will be over there in August and it would be fun to take the maps back to where the action happened. So far I know he was in the Engineers, he was wounded 8/8/18 and a knocked out tank was involved. It was quite fun to see the Mark V in Bovington on Monday as that was at the Battle of Amiens. I would like to find out where the action took place. I will take a trip to the National Archives if I can find time, or even the Royal Engineers museum, but can anyone help with what unit he was actually in and where he may have been in the battle? Much appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delta Posted 11 October , 2017 Share Posted 11 October , 2017 The slight problem is that 8 August was the opening day of the Battle of Amiens when over 400 tanks were in action. See https://sites.google.com/site/landships/home/narratives/1918/100days/amiens Fortunately, the site owner, Rob Martin includes some maps (at Tank Bde level) so you may be able to work out the rough area and possible units y comparing them with your Trench Maps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dai Bach y Sowldiwr Posted 11 October , 2017 Share Posted 11 October , 2017 Deaths Jun 1979 (>99%) BURNETT FREDERICK WANDLASS 16JE1884 COLCHESTER 9 2173 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Clifton Posted 11 October , 2017 Share Posted 11 October , 2017 The Gazette entry immediately before Burnett's, that of W R G Burfield, Tank Corps, was awarded for his actions on 8 August 1918. I researched this some years ago on behalf of his daughter (an old friend of mine) and her family. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auimfo Posted 11 October , 2017 Share Posted 11 October , 2017 This might be of interest to you:http://data2.archives.ca/e/e444/e011087903.pdf And his Canadian service record:http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?op=pdf&app=CEF&id=B1293A-S062 Although they don't help with pinpointing his MC action. Cheers, Tim L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clk Posted 11 October , 2017 Share Posted 11 October , 2017 (edited) Hi, 6 hours ago, FBS said: ...can anyone help with what unit he was actually in and where he may have been in the battle? His annotated MC citation indicates that he was east of Sailly Laurette at the time, serving with 504 FC. Their war diary is here at the National Archives (£3.50).It might also be worth looking at the diary for the CRE 58 Division, and for a greater context that of 58 Division HQ (general staff) - here. As FC's often seem to be associated with a particular brigade in a division, it might also be worth looking at the Brigade HQ diary*. In addition to the diaries being available to download from the National Archives, they will also be available on Ancestry. Source: The National Archives - file WO 389/7 (part 1) Regards Chris *Edit: The FC diary entry for 7th August 1918 appears to have him as "...attached Liaison Officer to 173 Brigade". Edited 11 October , 2017 by clk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clk Posted 11 October , 2017 Share Posted 11 October , 2017 Hi, Given that his death registration record, and his Canadian papers (per Tim's link) give his DoB as 16th June 1884, this may be him in the index of files held by the MoD. Regards Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HolymoleyRE Posted 11 October , 2017 Share Posted 11 October , 2017 https://www.gov.uk/guidance/request-records-of-deceased-service-personnel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FBS Posted 15 October , 2017 Author Share Posted 15 October , 2017 On 11/10/2017 at 16:39, Dai Bach y Sowldiwr said: Deaths Jun 1979 (>99%) BURNETT FREDERICK WANDLASS 16JE1884 COLCHESTER 9 2173 Thanks, I have this. It is nice to know he lived to a good age On 11/10/2017 at 19:01, clk said: Hi, His annotated MC citation indicates that he was east of Sailly Laurette at the time, serving with 504 FC. Their war diary is here at the National Archives (£3.50).It might also be worth looking at the diary for the CRE 58 Division, and for a greater context that of 58 Division HQ (general staff) - here. As FC's often seem to be associated with a particular brigade in a division, it might also be worth looking at the Brigade HQ diary*. In addition to the diaries being available to download from the National Archives, they will also be available on Ancestry. Thanks for this, that is a good lead. On 11/10/2017 at 19:01, clk said: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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