Private James Burns
The background of this man is not clear, but based on the fact that soon after the war he lived at 364 Donegall Road, Belfast, he may have been the James Burns born on 4 April 1896 (as William James) at 29 Kensington Street, Belfast, the fourth of nine children of bricklayer Robert Burns and his wife Isabella (née McCullough). At the time of the 1911 Census he was living at 352 Donegall Road with his parents and his seven surviving siblings, and working as a boilermaker.
Burns enlisted in the North Irish Horse at Belfast on 2 June 1917 (No.2489 – later Corps of Hussars No.71866). He was described as being 5' 7½" tall, with a fresh complexion, brown hair and brown eyes. He gave his age as 21, his place of birth as Shankill, and his occupation as a warehouseman.
He trained at the regiment's Antrim reserve camp, but was reported to have deserted from that place on 24 April 1918. He must have been apprehended or returned to duty, for he embarked for France later that year (though it is also possible he had embarked in 1917 but returned due to sickness or injury before April 1918).
In France he was posted to one of the squadrons of the 1st North Irish Horse Regiment. This regiment served as corps cavalry to VII, XIX, then V Corps from its establishment in May 1916 until February-March 1918, when it was dismounted and converted to a cyclist unit.
On 13 March 1919 Burns was demobilised and transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve. He re-enlisted, however, in November that year, in the Royal Army Medical Corps (No.14419 – later Army No.7249245), serving with that regiment until discharged on 8 September 1922. He was granted a pension due to 'DAH' – disordered action of the heart – his level of disability assessed at 30 per cent.
This page last updated 20 February 2024.