The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

RuudAWV2020 · Joined: 15 Apr 2020 Posts: 4 Location: Nederland

My name is Ruud and I am doing research on fallen airmen that lie buried near, or in the vicinity of my hometown in the Netherlands. Every year I organise a small ceremony in November for these brave men.
One of them is F/O Ian Crawford Burns DFM from Glasgow.
His servicenumber 115731.

I am hoping to find more information through this fine website.

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2020 12:35 pm Post subject:

Hi Ruud and welcome.

The information I have gathered to date is below but I am still looking.
One thing to say is that the first name of IAN is often used in Scotland for those "officially" named as JOHN.

Ian's Lancaster bomber (ED626 - PM-G) had taken off from RAF Elsham Wold in north Lincolnshire for a raid on Emerich am Rhein on the Dutch.Germany border but the aircraft was shot down by a night fighter and crashed at Hulshort, Netherlands. All of the crew were killed and. with one exception, they are buried in Harderwijk General Cemetery. Sgt. Stafford survived the crash but died of his wounds the following day.
Sefton Stafford, Sergeant/Air Gunner (1033931) is buried in Amersfoort (Oud Leusden) General Cemetery.
(Source: aircrewremembered.com and International Bomber Command Centre)

He was awarded a Distinguished Flying Medal as 746939 Sergeant Ian Crawford BURNS, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, No. 144 Squadron, Bomber Command.
(Source: London Gazette 22/8/1941 p.4864)
He was commissioned as a Pilot Officer on 27 January 1942 from Flight Sergeant 746939 Ian Crawford BURNS, D.F.M. (115731).
(Source: LG 31/3/1942 p.1460)
and was promoted to Flying Officer on 1 October 1942 as I. C. BURNS, D.F.M. (115731).
(Source: LG 17/11/1942 p.5040)

He was born in 1920 in Cathcart, Glasgow as John Crawford Burns.
Son of George Jeffrey Burns and of Annie Elizabeth (Jenkins) Burns 24 Norfield Drive, Cathcart.

His name is listed as IAN BURNS, D.F.M. on the former Queen's Park School memorial (now in Langside Library in Glasgow) together with JEFFREY BURNS who I think was his brother.

George Jeffrey Burns was born in 1921 in Cathcart and is listed by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission as GEORGE JEFFREY BURNS, Flight Sergeant (640006) 25 Squadron, Royal Air Force.
Died 21 November 1944 and buried in AMELAND (NES) GENERAL CEMETERY, Netherlands.
(Ameland is one of the Wadden Islands, which form an archipelago off the north coast of the Netherlands)
_________________
Ken

Kenneth Morrison · Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2020 2:02 pm Post subject:

From RAF Commands Forum

21-11-1944: Beaufighter XI serial JM339 missing from attack on convoy off Ameland island 1600 hrs. Pilot Sgt J. DALLEY - 932761 and Navigator F/Sgt G.J. BURNS - 640006 both buried 29-11-1944 on Ameland.

Note: CWGC listed George's squadron as 25 but it was almost certainly 254 Squadron of Coastal Command (Sgt Dalley's Squadron)
_________________
Ken

RuudAWV2020 · Joined: 15 Apr 2020 Posts: 4 Location: Nederland

Thank you for the information.

F/O Burns DFC lies buried near my hometown, in Harderwijk.

I am trying to find a photo of the crew of ED626 (S/Ldr Charles O'Donoghue's crew) or F/O Burns.