TOPIC:

Ben Burns was both a soldier and a jailbird before he finally redeemed himself in later life.

Benjamin Burns

Private, 2nd Battalion, East Surrey Regiment – Anglo Boer War
Corporal, 7th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment and Labour Corps – WWI

- Queens South Africa medal with clasps O.F.S./TVL/Laing's Nek & SA 1901 to 5631 PTE. BURNS. E. SURR. REGT
- 1914-15 Star to 342. PTE. B. BURNS E. SURR. R.
- British War Medal to 342. CPL. B. BURNS E. SURR. R.
- Victory Medal to 342. CPL. B. BURNS E. SURR. R.

Benjamin Burns was born in Southwark in Surrey in about 1880 the son of Benjamin B Burns, a Carpenter and Joiner by trade, and his wife Sarah Elizabeth, born Booth.

At the time of the 1881 England census a 1 year old Benjamin was at home with his parents at 16 Charles Street, Southwark, London. His only sibling, Robert, was a 13 year old errand boy.


NCO's and regular soldiers of the East Surrey's during the ABW

Ten years later at the time of the 1891 England census the family had moved to 5 Mason Place in Lambeth, London. The patriarch of the family must have been out and about leaving his wife and children to answer the enumerator’s knock. Benjamin was now a 10 year old school boy and had been joined by a further three siblings in the forms of Nelly (8), Elizabeth (5) and Ethel (3).

Surrounded as he was at home by a bevy of “beauties” a 17 year and 5 month old Burns must have waited his chance to flee the family nest. This came with his enrolment in the Militia on 2 July 1897. Burns completed the forms in London for service with the Royal Fusiliers and was assigned no. 9831 and the rank of Private. He confirmed that he now resided at 12 Finch Street in Lambeth and that he was in the employ of a Mr Hammond of 112 Camberwell Road, Camberwell as a Porter.

Unmarried he was 5 feet 7 ½ inches in height, weighed 111 pounds (which was very slight indeed) and had a fresh complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. He was quite “marked” in that he had 4 vaccination marks on his right arm, Dots on his right forearm, the initial “B.B.” with a flag and more dots on his left forearm and an anchor with a dot on his left hand. As if that wasn’t enough he scars on the bottom of his back, moles on his neck and back of his left shoulder and on his chest and belly. Burns was going to identifiable if something were to happen to him that’s for sure.

Having been found Fit for the army he commenced militia service with the 5th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers completing 49 days of drill before transferring to the East Surrey Regiment on 14 September 1898 with no. 5631.

Burns wasn’t to know that within the space of 12 months Great Britain would be at war with the two Boer Republics in far-away South Africa and that he and his regiment would have a role to play in the conflict.

The 2nd Battalion of which he formed part sailed on the Lismore Castle and Harlech Castle on about 19th October 1899, and got to Durban on about 14th November 1899. Along with the 2nd Queen's, 2nd Devon, and 2nd West Yorkshire, they formed the 2nd Brigade under Major General H Hildyard.

At the Battle of Willow Grange on 22 November the East Surrey’s supported the West York’s in the assault, and in his report, dated 24th November, General Hildyard was quoted as saying, "The behaviour of all ranks of the 2nd East Surrey Regiment when engaged was satisfactory under great difficulties".

At Colenso on 15 December the battalion was not as heavily engaged as the 2nd Queen's and Devons losing 1 killed and 31 wounded but at Venter's Spruit they had heavy fighting especially on the 21st January, losing 1 officer wounded, 5 men killed and about 25 wounded.

Following this up they were at Vaal Krantz they were the centre of the crest line on the 7th February, and lost 2 men killed and 12 wounded.

During the fourteen days between 13th and 27th February they were, like the rest of the brigade, constantly fighting. On the 22nd east of Grobelar's, the East Surrey’s were ordered forward to reinforce the 60th Rifles; and they helped them with such spirit to maintain the passive strife—the business, you might say, of using “the flesh of men to resist the bullets of the enemy”—that they were praised afterwards by the general and thanked by the 60th Rifles.

In the final assault on 27th February the East Surrey worked along with and to the right of the 1st Rifle Brigade, these regiments being the first line of attack on what was perhaps the most strongly fortified part of the position. During the fourteen days the battalion's losses were approximately 1 officer and 27 men killed, 6 officers and 86 men wounded.

At Alleman's Nek on 11th June the East Surreys formed with the Queen's the first line in the attack on the left hill. There again all apparently went well although the battalion's losses were approximately 3 men killed, 1 officer and 6 men wounded. After this the brigade moved along the Natal-Pretoria Railway, and was largely occupied in garrison and column work along the line.

In 1901 part of the battalion was in Colonel Colville's column and part in Colonel Elmington's, and they did a lot of hard marching in the south of the Transvaal and the north of the Orange River Colony.

Thus far for Burns it had been plain sailing but something was about to upset the rhythm of his life. This came in the form of a sentence to 10 years Penal Servitude. What led up to this point and of what crime or offence Burns was accused, tried and found guilty of we know not but it can be surmised that this must have happened in about 1901. Where this happened and where he served his time are also unknowns to us but what is known is that his Queens Medal was only issued on 7 September 1905 when, it is assumed, he was released from prison possibly for good behaviour or something which would have occasioned a reduction in sentence.

By the time the 1911 England census rolled round Burns was living with his widowed mother and sister Ethel at 16 Orient Buildings, Lambeth. Now 31 years old he was still single and had returned to his former occupation of Porter, this at a nearby hospital.

Three years later England and her Allies were at war with Germany in what was to become the bloodiest conflict hitherto known to mankind. Burns, who seems to have turned his life around after “doing time”, enlisted with his old regiment, the East Surrey’s (7th Battalion) for service in France.

Having entered the theatre of war as a Private with no. 342 on 19 October 1915 he soon rose to the rank of Corporal before transferring at a later stage to the Labour Corps with no. 74437 which is where he was stationed when the war ended and he was placed on the Army Reserve on 16 March 1919. For his efforts he was awarded the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Allied Victory Medal.

The East Surrey Regiment raised seven Service battalions, of which the 7th (Burns’ outfit), 8th, 9th (the Gallants), 12th and 13th served in France. All these non-Regular battalions had fine fighting records, and in every way maintained the traditions of the Regiment, enhancing its prestige by their gallantry and endurance. All took part in the Battle of the Somme in 1916. Most were present at the principal battles of 1917, such as Arras, the Scarpe and the Third Battle of Ypres.

Burns’ movements are unknown but he passed away in his native Southwark at the age of 65 in December 1945, having lived through yet another war.

Rory,

A very nice group, an excellent write up as always.

Regards
Paul