Arthur Burns RIP

Kyt · Mar 13, 2008

Arthur Burns obituary - Times Online

When “Robbie” Burns - as he was known from his army training in Scotland - returned to his beat in Derby in 1946, it was not long before the Chief Constable spotted the ribbon of the DSO on his policeman's tunic. He had won this immediate award in Italy as the 8th Army fought its way towards Bologna in October 1944, taking control of the situation when his commanding officer was mortally wounded at the critical point of the final attack on Mount Cece.

Advancing down the valley of the Senio, the 1st Division had three times tried to capture and hold Mount Cece, an ugly brute of hill blocking further progress, before 1st Battalion The Duke of Wellington's Regiment was ordered to attack the feature on the night on October 6-7. This stalled short of the crest with the two leading companies pinned down by intense Spandau machinegun fire and a hail of grenades. By dawn A Company, commanded by Burns, was dug in 250 yards from the crest, while B Company was withdrawn under an artillery smoke screen.

The commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel F. P. St M. Shiels, decided to renew the attack on October 8 from A Company's position on the western approach with C Company - hitherto in reserve - in the lead. Torrential rain was falling and in places the mud was knee-deep. The attack began at 15.30 but C Company was held up short of the crest. Shiels went forward to see the ground but he and C Company's commander were wounded, Shiels mortally.

Captain Burns took charge, reorganised both company positions then led an assault by two platoons of his own - closely supported by artillery fire - on to the dominant ridge. In the final stage of the assault, Private Richard Burton (obituary July 13, 1993) personally killed or wounded the crews of two German Spandau posts, winning the Dukes' first Victoria Cross of the war. As anticipated, first one and then a second German counter-attack were launched during the night, but Burns was ready for them. Both were driven off and Mount Cece held.

Burns served with 1st Dukes until the end of the Italian campaign and accompanied the battalion to Palestine, where the end of the war in Europe had sparked the Jewish terrorist campaign against the British authorities governing under League of Nations mandate.

On demobilisation in 1946, he went back to his prewar job of pounding the beat in Derby. Police work, in particular close contact with the local community, delighted him.

By the early 1950s Burns was the detective inspector in charge of Derby CID, work that he recalled as among the best of his police service with “a great bunch of detectives” under him. In 1956 he was seconded to the Colonial Police to be an Assistant Commissioner in Cyprus during the Eoka terrorist emergency, for which service he was awarded the Colonial Police Medal. After his return in 1958, he was successively Deputy Chief Constable of Norwich, Assistant Chief Constable of Essex, Deputy Chief Constable and finally Chief Constable of Suffolk. He received the Queen's Police Medal and was appointed OBE. He retired in 1976.

Arthur Burns was born in Darley Abbey, Derbyshire, a great grandson of one of the country's early policemen, who served in the Gloucester force in 1839.

His wife, Necia, whom he married before the war, predeceased him. He is survived by their daughter who became a chief inspector in the Derbyshire Constabulary.

Arthur Burns, DSO, OBE, QPM, CPM, Chief Constable of Suffolk, was born on November 18, 1917. He died on February 19, 2008 aged 90
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Antipodean Andy · Mar 13, 2008

Perhaps Ron met him during or after the war? RIP.

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Arthur Burns RIP

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