The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (805) Corporal James Drummond Burns, 21st Battalion, AIF, First World War

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Charis May, the story for this day was on (805) Corporal James Drummond Burns, 21st Battalion, AIF, First World War.

805 Corporal James Drummond Burns, 21st Battalion, AIF
KIA 18 September 1915
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 11 January 2015

Today we remember and pay tribute to Corporal James Drummond Burns.

James Drummond Burns was born on 18 June 1895 in Geelong, Victoria, to Reverend Hugh and Mary Burns.

He attended Melbourne’s prestigious Scotch College, where he was known as an exemplary student. He was a gifted sportsman and was a keen rower, but his real gift was for writing. By 1913 he was the editor of the college’s magazine and had a number of his articles and poems published. In 1914 he was the college’s vice-captain. He finished school at the end of the year and applied to Melbourne University.

By this time however, the First World War had begun. Burns, like many young men of the time, enlisted. He did so on 2 February 1915, with his father’s permission, for service in the AIF.

Burns was allotted to the newly formed 21st Battalion, which was being raised at Broadmeadows. He was posted to D Company and was soon promoted to corporal.

He embarked with his battalion from Melbourne on 10 May aboard the transport ship Ulysses, bound for Egypt. Sometime before leaving Australia, he had written For England, a poem about serving the mother country in her time of need. It was published in the Scotch College magazine just after he embarked. It was very well received and was later turned into a patriotic song.

After a short period in Egypt, the 21st Battalion sailed for Lemnos. On 2 September their transport ship Southland was torpedoed by a German submarine 56 kilometres from Lemnos. In his last letter to his parents, written two days later, Burns described helping to launch several lifeboats before getting into a boat himself. He wrote about becoming seasick and was out of action until he was later rescued.

The 21st Battalion landed on Gallipoli on 7 September, and over the ensuing days occupied front-line positions from Courtney’s Post towards The Nek.

On 18 September the battalion was subjected to a Turkish artillery bombardment. This caused no real damage to the Australian positions, but during this time Burns was reported as having been shot in the head. He was taken to the 5th Field Ambulance, where he died soon after. He was laid to rest in Shrapnel Valley Cemetery. He was 20 years old.

Burns’ name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, along with more than 60,000 others from the First World War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Corporal James Drummond Burns, and all those Australians who have given their lives in the service of our nation.

Michael Kelly
Historian, Military History Section

Sources:
Roll of Honour: James Drummond Burns: http://www.awm.gov.au/people/rolls/R1678551

Roll of Honour circular: James Drummond Burns: http://static.awm.gov.au/images/collection/pdf/RCDIG1068856--732-.PDF

AWM4 21st Battalion War Diary September 1915: http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/AWM4/23/38/1

Guards see torpedo, Letter from J.D. Burns to his parents, published in the Argus, Tuesday 23 November 1915: http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/1581218

First World War Embarkation Roll: Corporal James Drummond Burns: http://www.awm.gov.au/people/rolls/R1975507

National Archives of Australia service records series B2455: James Drummond Burns: http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ListingReports/ItemsListing.aspx