John Burns was born c.1897 in Kensal Town, North Kensington, one of the fourteen children of John Burns (1864-1945) and Mary Ann Burns née Wiggins (1870-1918).
In the 1901 census he is shown as living at 178 Kensal Road, Queens Park, Paddington, with his parents and three siblings: Timothy Burns (b.1891), Mary Ann Burns (1898-1977) & Thomas Burns (b.1900). His father was described as a journeyman tailor.
When his father completed the 1911 census return he was shown as a telegraph messenger living in three rooms within 55 Kensal Road, North Kensington, with his parents and seven siblings: Mary Ann Burns, Thomas Burns, Caroline Elizabeth Burns (1901-1971), Catherine Burns (b.1902), James Burns (b.1904), Annie Burns (1906-2001) and Margaret Burns (1908-1999). His father continued to show himself as a tailor. The census form shows that by this time his mother had twelve children, eight of whom were still alive.
In September 1913 he was appointed as an assistant postman in the London Postal Service.
In June 1915 he joined the 3rd (City of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers) and his service number was 4472, which would later be changed to 251796. His death was 'presumed on or since 11 September 1916', when he was aged 19 years, and on 25 September 1917 his father was sent his army effects totalling £3-16s-7d. His £5-0s-0d war gratuity was sent to his father on 31 December 1919. He was posthumously awarded the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal.
On 18 January 1928 his body was discovered and identified by his military identity disc. His exhumed body was reburied in Plot 16, Row F, Grave 2 in the Serre Road Cemetery No.2, D919, Hébuterne, Pas-de-Calais, France.
He is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website and on Page 54 of the Post Office Fellowship of Remembrance's World War One Book of Remembrance.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
