{"id":6024,"date":"2025-10-20T08:54:21","date_gmt":"2025-10-20T08:54:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.trinity.cumbria.sch.uk\/warmemorials\/?page_id=6024"},"modified":"2025-12-31T13:42:01","modified_gmt":"2025-12-31T13:42:01","slug":"robert-burnett","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.trinity.cumbria.sch.uk\/warmemorials\/wwii\/creighton\/robert-burnett\/","title":{"rendered":"Robert Burnett"},"content":{"rendered":"<!--themify_builder_content-->\n<div id=\"themify_builder_content-6024\" data-postid=\"6024\" class=\"themify_builder_content themify_builder_content-6024 themify_builder tf_clear\">\n                    <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_row themify_builder_row tb_cuzr670 tb_first tf_w\">\n                        <div class=\"row_inner col_align_top tb_col_count_2 tf_box tf_rel\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col4-2 tb_izvx670 first\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_bryl670   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <h2><strong>Key Information<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000; font-size: medium;\"><strong>Name: <\/strong><\/span><strong>Robert Burnett<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000; font-size: medium;\"><strong>DoB:<\/strong> 07\/06\/1920<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000; font-size: medium;\"><strong>Regt:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000; font-size: medium;\"><strong>DoD: <\/strong><\/span>14\/12\/1941\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 21\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Buried\/Commemorated: KNIGHTSBRIDGE WAR CEMETERY, ACROMA, <span style=\"color: #000000; font-size: medium;\">Libya<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000; font-size: medium;\"><strong>Academic Career<\/strong>: CS 1931-35<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000; font-size: medium;\"><strong>Other:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Biographical Information<\/strong><\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <\/div>\n                    <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col4-2 tb_jhjq670 last\">\n                            <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_row themify_builder_row tb_efrs247 tf_w\">\n                        <div class=\"row_inner col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tf_box tf_rel\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col-full tb_d4fy247 first\">\n                    <!-- module accordion -->\n<div  class=\"module module-accordion tb_9ske247 \" data-behavior=\"accordion\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n    \n    <ul class=\"ui module-accordion   gray\">\n            <li class=\"builder-accordion-active\">\n            <div class=\"accordion-title tf_rel\">\n                <a href=\"#acc-9ske247-0\" class=\"tb_title_accordion\" aria-controls=\"acc-9ske247-0-content\" aria-expanded=\"true\">\n                                                            Family Background                <\/a>\n            <\/div><!-- .accordion-title -->\n            <div id=\"acc-9ske247-0-content\" data-id=\"acc-9ske247-0\" aria-hidden=\"false\" class=\"accordion-content tf_clearfix\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_subrow themify_builder_sub_row tf_w col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tb_8pln247\">\n                <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column sub_column tb_pjv7247 first\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_xjcn247   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p><strong>Family Background: Son of John and May Burnett, of Carlisle.<\/strong><\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <\/div><!-- .accordion-content -->\n        <\/li>\n            <li>\n            <div class=\"accordion-title tf_rel\">\n                <a href=\"#acc-9ske247-1\" class=\"tb_title_accordion\" aria-controls=\"acc-9ske247-1-content\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n                                                            Academic Record                <\/a>\n            <\/div><!-- .accordion-title -->\n            <div id=\"acc-9ske247-1-content\" data-id=\"acc-9ske247-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"accordion-content tf_hide tf_clearfix\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_subrow themify_builder_sub_row tf_w col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tb_qpte247\">\n                <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column sub_column tb_qslb247 first\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_0ykd247   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p><strong>Academic Record: Ashley Street School. CS 1931-35<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u00a0<\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <\/div><!-- .accordion-content -->\n        <\/li>\n            <li>\n            <div class=\"accordion-title tf_rel\">\n                <a href=\"#acc-9ske247-2\" class=\"tb_title_accordion\" aria-controls=\"acc-9ske247-2-content\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n                                                            War Record                <\/a>\n            <\/div><!-- .accordion-title -->\n            <div id=\"acc-9ske247-2-content\" data-id=\"acc-9ske247-2\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"accordion-content tf_hide tf_clearfix\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_subrow themify_builder_sub_row tf_w col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tb_b254247\">\n                <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column sub_column tb_g45w247 first\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_ccj2247   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p><strong>War Service<\/strong>: Gunner, 887722, 31 Field Regt., Royal Artillery<\/p>\n<p>8<sup>th<\/sup> February 1941 wounded (date of action) Eritrea. Incident date 080741 (typo?)<\/p>\n<p>KIA 141241<\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <\/div><!-- .accordion-content -->\n        <\/li>\n            <li>\n            <div class=\"accordion-title tf_rel\">\n                <a href=\"#acc-9ske247-3\" class=\"tb_title_accordion\" aria-controls=\"acc-9ske247-3-content\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n                                                            Other                <\/a>\n            <\/div><!-- .accordion-title -->\n            <div id=\"acc-9ske247-3-content\" data-id=\"acc-9ske247-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"accordion-content tf_hide tf_clearfix\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_subrow themify_builder_sub_row tf_w col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tb_hez9247\">\n                <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column sub_column tb_7j5q247 first\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_ko31247   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p><strong>Other: 1931 address was 17, Creighton Avenue. Left school to work in a shop.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Keren Battlefield (Wikipedia) The <strong>Battle of Keren<\/strong> (<em>Cheren<\/em>) was fought as part of the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/East_African_Campaign_(World_War_II)\">East African Campaign<\/a> during the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Second_World_War\">Second World War<\/a>. The engagement took place from 5 February to 1 April 1941, between a mixed Italian army of regular and colonial troops and British troops (mostly from Sudan and British India) and <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Free_French\">Free French<\/a> forces. The town of <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Keren,_Eritrea\">Keren<\/a>, in the colony of <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Italian_East_Africa\">Italian East Africa<\/a>, was of tactical importance to both sides in 1941. The road and railway through Keren were the main routes to the colonial capital at <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Asmara\">Asmara<\/a> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Red_Sea\">Red Sea<\/a> port of <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Massawa\">Massawa<\/a>, which surrendered to the British after the battle.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>In the 4th Division history of 1948, Stevens gave 3,273 casualties, of whom about ten percent were killed.<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Battle_of_Keren#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStevens194855-28\"><sup>[28]<\/sup><\/a> In 1951, Mackenzie wrote that in the final stages of the battle, the Italians had 5,000 casualties, of whom 1,135 men were killed.<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Battle_of_Keren#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMackenzie195160-23\"><sup>[23]<\/sup><\/a> In 1954, I. S. O. Playfair, the British official historian, recorded that Italian troops and <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Eritrean_Ascari\">Eritrean Ascari<\/a> had 3,000 casualties.<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Battle_of_Keren#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1954439-29\"><sup>[29]<\/sup><\/a> In 1993, Raugh wrote that 3,000 Italian troops were killed and that British casualties were 536 men killed and 3,229 wounded.<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Battle_of_Keren#cite_note-FOOTNOTERaugh1993181-30\"><sup>[30]<\/sup><\/a> An informal review of Bruttini and Puglisi (1957) found that about 3,000 Italian soldiers were killed, 4,500 wounded and sick, 9,000 Askari killed and nearly 20,000 wounded giving totals of 12,147 killed and 21,700 men wounded.<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Battle_of_Keren#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBruttiniPuglisi1957-31\"><sup>[31]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Northern front, Eritrea 1941<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Commander \u2013 Lieutenant-General <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/William_Platt\">William Platt<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Royal_Artillery\">Royal Artillery<\/a>, Brigadier William H. B. Mirrless \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>1 Field Regiment RA<\/li>\n<li>11\/80 Field Battery RA<\/li>\n<li>52\/98 Field Battery RA<\/li>\n<li>25 Field Regiment RA<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>31 Field Regiment RA<\/h3>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Operation Crusader<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Main article: <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Operation_Crusader\">Operation Crusader<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Operation Crusader, 18 November \u2013 31 December 1941 (click to enlarge)<\/p>\n<p>The Eighth Army (Lieutenant-General <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Alan_Gordon_Cunningham\">Alan Cunningham<\/a>) conducted Operation Crusader (18 November \u2013 30 December), to relieve Tobruk and capture eastern Cyrenaica. The Eighth Army planned to destroy the Axis armour before committing the infantry but was repulsed several times, culminating in the defeat of the 7th Armoured Division by the <em>Afrika Korps<\/em> at Sidi Rezegh. Rommel ordered the panzer divisions to relieve the Axis positions on the Egyptian border but failed to find the main body of the Allied infantry, which had bypassed the fortresses and headed for Tobruk. Rommel withdrew his armour from the frontier towards Tobruk and achieved several tactical successes, which led Auchinleck to replace Cunningham with Major-General <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Neil_Ritchie\">Neil Ritchie<\/a>. The Axis forces then retired west of Tobruk to the Gazala Line and then back to El Agheila; the Axis garrisons at Bardia and Sollum surrendered. The British lost 17,700 men against 37,400 Axis casualties, many having been captured at Halfaya and Bardia. Tobruk had been relieved, Cyrenaica recaptured and airfields captured to cover convoys supplying Malta.<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Western_Desert_campaign#cite_note-55\"><sup>[54]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <\/div><!-- .accordion-content -->\n        <\/li>\n            <li>\n            <div class=\"accordion-title tf_rel\">\n                <a href=\"#acc-9ske247-4\" class=\"tb_title_accordion\" aria-controls=\"acc-9ske247-4-content\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n                                                            Sources                <\/a>\n            <\/div><!-- .accordion-title -->\n            <div id=\"acc-9ske247-4-content\" data-id=\"acc-9ske247-4\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"accordion-content tf_hide tf_clearfix\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_subrow themify_builder_sub_row tf_w col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tb_7ain247\">\n                <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column sub_column tb_yhbi247 first\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_6um9247   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p><strong>Sources:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>FWR<\/p>\n<p>The Creighton Register<\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <\/div><!-- .accordion-content -->\n        <\/li>\n        <\/ul>\n\n<\/div><!-- \/module accordion -->        <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_row themify_builder_row tb_acax724 tf_w\">\n                        <div class=\"row_inner col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tf_box tf_rel\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col-full tb_gukb725 first\">\n                            <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n<!--\/themify_builder_content-->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Information Name: Robert Burnett DoB: 07\/06\/1920 Regt:\u00a0 DoD: 14\/12\/1941\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 21\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Buried\/Commemorated: KNIGHTSBRIDGE WAR CEMETERY, ACROMA, Libya Academic Career: CS 1931-35 Other:\u00a0 Biographical Information Family Background Family Background: Son of John and May Burnett, of Carlisle. Academic Record Academic Record: Ashley Street School. CS 1931-35 \u00a0 War Record War Service: Gunner, 887722, 31 Field Regt., [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":0,"parent":6001,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-6024","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","has-post-title","has-post-date","has-post-category","has-post-tag","has-post-comment","has-post-author",""],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.trinity.cumbria.sch.uk\/warmemorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6024","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.trinity.cumbria.sch.uk\/warmemorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.trinity.cumbria.sch.uk\/warmemorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.trinity.cumbria.sch.uk\/warmemorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.trinity.cumbria.sch.uk\/warmemorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6024"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.trinity.cumbria.sch.uk\/warmemorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6024\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6343,"href":"https:\/\/www.trinity.cumbria.sch.uk\/warmemorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6024\/revisions\/6343"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.trinity.cumbria.sch.uk\/warmemorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6001"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.trinity.cumbria.sch.uk\/warmemorials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6024"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}