Major-General Eedson Louis Millard Burns

Eedson Louis Millard Burns was born at Westmount, Quebec, on 17 June 1897, the son of George Eedson Burns and Louise Wills. Educated at Lower Canada College and the Royal Military College, he received a special wartime commission in the Royal Canadian Engineers in June 1915. He served with Canadian divisional signals and infantry brigade staffs in France during the First World War, was wounded and received the Military Cross. His family connections included his aunt, Mrs. H.R. Graham of Huntingdon. Between the wars he worked in military engineering, taught at the Royal Military College and helped develop aerial photographic surveying. He graduated from Staff College, Quetta, in 1929, won the 1932 Bertrand Stewart military essay prize and was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1935. He married Margaret Eleanor Mary Phelan in December 1927; they had a daughter, Mary Eleanor. Burns was attending the Imperial Defence College in London when the Second World War began. He served at Canadian Military Headquarters and with 2nd Canadian Division, then returned to Ottawa as Assistant Deputy Chief of the General Staff. In 1941 he became Brigadier General Staff of the Canadian Corps. An intercepted personal letter disclosing confidential military matters led to his removal and return to Canada. The matter was handled without court-martial, and he continued serving as Colonel administering the Canadian Armoured Corps. He commanded 4th Canadian Armoured Brigade from February 1942, 2nd Canadian Division from May 1943 and 5th Canadian Armoured Division in Italy from January 1944. As acting Lieutenant-General, he commanded 1st Canadian Corps from March to November 1944 during operations in the Liri Valley and at Rimini. He received the Distinguished Service Order, was Mentioned in Despatches and received French and Greek honours. He subsequently led the Canadian Section of 1st Echelon Headquarters, 21st Army Group, later the British Army of the Rhine. Returning to Canada in September 1945, he joined the Department of Veterans Affairs while still an Army officer. He retired as Major-General on 26 June 1947 and continued in senior veterans' rehabilitation administration. He later served as Chief of Staff of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization and commander of the United Nations Emergency Force. Promoted Lieutenant-General in 1958, he retired from that service at the end of 1959 and undertook disarmament diplomacy. His interests included gardening and music, and a newspaper profile praised his piano playing. Burns died at Ottawa on 13 September 1985.

1897-06-17 — Born at Westmount, son of George Eedson Burns and Louise Wills; baptism recorded at St. Matthias Church, Montreal, on 5 September; Westmount, Quebec.
1913-06-14 to 1914-08-31 — Prior service in 17th Duke of York's Royal Canadian Hussars, Non-Permanent Active Militia; some summaries give 13 June; Montreal, Quebec.
1914-08-31 to 1915-06-25 — Entered Royal Military College, after placing second in the entrance examination. Completed a one-year special wartime course and received a commission, rather than the normal full course; Kingston, Ontario.
1915-06-26 — Commissioned Lieutenant, Royal Canadian Engineers, Permanent Force; ordered to report for duty on 21 July; Ottawa, Ontario.
1916-03-11 to 1916-08-11 — Earlier-war service: embarked for Britain, joined 4th Canadian Divisional Signal Company and proceeded to France on 11 August; Britain; France.
1917-01-10 — Earlier-war Military Cross authority: London Gazette No.29898, 10 January 1917; France.
1917-04-09 to 1917-09-06 — Earlier-war wounds: wounded but remained at duty on 9 April; left-hand gunshot wound admitted No.22 Casualty Clearing Station on 5 September, with 6 September in service summaries; France.
1918-10-19 to 1919-03-25 — Earlier-war staff employment included 9th Canadian Infantry Brigade, then Staff Captain from 22 February 1919 and 12th Brigade; Temporary Captain from 25 March; France; Britain.
1919-05-31 to 1919-06-08 — Embarked RMS Adriatic at Liverpool on 31 May and arrived Halifax on 8 June; copies calling 31 May the return date refer to departure; Liverpool, England, United Kingdom; Halifax, Nova Scotia.
1919-07-09 to 1920-04-01 — Reported as Works Officer, Military District No.7, Saint John. Struck off CEF 31 March 1920 and became Captain in reconstituted Permanent Force, RCE, 1 April; Saint John, New Brunswick.
1920-06-17 to 1921-12-27 — Attended School of Military Engineering, Chatham. Returned aboard Minnedosa, arriving Saint John 27 December 1921, then posted to Halifax; Chatham, England, United Kingdom; Saint John, New Brunswick; Halifax, Nova Scotia.
1922-02-01 to 1922-10-01 — Adjutant, RCE, Halifax; aid to civil power in Cape Breton in August, then Topographical Survey Section, Ottawa, from 1 October; Halifax, Nova Scotia; Cape Breton, Nova Scotia; Ottawa, Ontario.
1924-09-15 to 1926-10-01 — Instructor in Military Engineering, Royal Military College. During 1925 leave visited British engineering, bridging, searchlight and aerial-survey establishments; qualified second-class French interpreter; Kingston, Ontario; Britain.
1926-10-01 to 1927-03-15 — Staff College preparatory course at RMC, then duty in Director of Engineer Services office, Ottawa. Formal order effective 6 March; transfer/pay certificate records 15 March; Kingston, Ontario; Ottawa, Ontario.
1927-03-01 — Promoted Major, Royal Canadian Engineers; Ottawa, Ontario.
1927-12-03 — Married Margaret Eleanor Mary Phelan, known in later records as Eleanor Phelan Burns; correspondence places marriage at Kingston; Kingston, Ontario.
1927-12-06 to 1929-12-18 — Sailed Saint John aboard Montclare with wife; attached to Experimental Mechanized Brigade in England, then sailed Rajputana 20 January 1928 for Staff College, Quetta. Graduated December 1929, above-average classification B; Saint John, New Brunswick; England, United Kingdom; Quetta, India.
1929-12-27 to 1930-03-01 — Returned from India via Calcutta, Singapore and Hong Kong, arriving Vancouver aboard Empress of Russia on 1 March. Appointed District Engineer Officer, Military District No.5, 13 March; Calcutta, India; Singapore; Hong Kong; Vancouver, British Columbia; Quebec, Quebec.
1931-04-01 to 1931-05-01 — Transferred to Ottawa Survey Detachment from 1 April; GSO II, Surveys, from 1 May, directing Geographical Section work and aerial photographic mapping development; Ottawa, Ontario.
1932 to 1933 — Won first prize in 1932 Bertrand Stewart military essay competition after second prize in 1931; lectured on Mass versus Mobility. Daughter Mary Eleanor born in February 1933; copied day dates differ; Ottawa, Ontario.
1935-01-31 — Requested that official records use the spelling Eedson rather than Edson, consistent with his baptismal record; Ottawa, Ontario.
1935-06-03 to 1935-07-15 — Awarded OBE on 3 June and promoted Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel on 15 July. Continued survey research, British exercises, conferences and military lectures; Ottawa, Ontario; Britain; France.
1936-12-15 to 1938-12-15 — Moved to Montreal for GSO I, Military District No.4; formal appointment 25 December 1936. Temporarily commanded district 25–31 July 1938. Departed for Imperial Defence College in December 1938; 3500 Vendome Avenue, Montreal, Quebec; London, England, United Kingdom.
1939-09-01 — Absorbed into Canadian Active Service Force as Lieutenant-Colonel, RCE, while attending Imperial Defence College in Britain at outbreak of war; already a Permanent Force officer; London, England, United Kingdom.
1939-09-04 to 1939-09-29 — Retained to assist Canadian High Commission. Planned September return passages were postponed or cancelled; family reached Southampton 11 September. Detailed later correspondence establishes that he remained in Britain; Canada House, London, England, United Kingdom; Southampton, England, United Kingdom.
1939-10-03 to 1939-10-14 — Aunt Mrs. H.R. Graham, Box 210, Huntingdon, corresponded about him; substantial maternal-family connection to Huntingdon, also recorded by CWVMP; Huntingdon, Quebec.
1939-10-17 — Appointed General Staff Officer, 1st Grade, Canadian Military Headquarters; this appointment date is distinct from 1 September active-force absorption; Canadian Military Headquarters, London, England, United Kingdom.
1940-03-18 to 1940-03-24 — Temporary duty in France recorded in service records
1940-04-02 — Medically examined: 68.5 inches, 172 pounds, chest 40 inches at full inspiration with 4-inch expansion; fit. Reading glasses and old left-hand and empyema scars noted; Britain.
1940-05-04 — Promoted Colonel while GSO I, Canadian Military Headquarters; London, England, United Kingdom.
1940-05-20 — Transferred as GSO I, Headquarters 2nd Canadian Division; Britain.
1940-06-02 to 1940-07-17 — Detailed to command Canadian troops in Aldershot and Bordon areas while associated with 2nd Division; Aldershot and Bordon, England, United Kingdom.
1940-07-18 to 1940-07-29 — Returned to Canada: later first-person account gives England departure 18 July and arrival 29 July; administrative overseas summaries use 17/19 July; Britain; Canada.
1940-07-18 — Attached for all purposes to No.9 Detachment, C.M.S.C., effective 18 July; administrative order published March 1941, before April departure overseas; Ottawa, Ontario.
1940-08-06 — Appointed Special Assistant to Chief of General Staff, later retitled Assistant Deputy Chief of General Staff; worked on armoured organization, equipment and manpower; National Defence Headquarters, Ottawa, Ontario.
1940-10-17 — Designation changed from Special Assistant to Assistant Deputy Chief of the General Staff; no pay change, and later service summaries date ADCGS retrospectively from 6 August; National Defence Headquarters, Ottawa, Ontario.
1940-12 to 1941-02-14 — United States duty travel arranged in December; visited Camp Borden 13–14 February 1941 in connection with staff responsibilities; United States; Camp Borden, Ontario.
1941-03-22 — Appointed Brigadier, Class 3 pay; remained ADCGS until 9 April; National Defence Headquarters, Ottawa, Ontario.
1941-03-31 to 1941-04-19 — Left Ottawa 31 March, embarked Halifax 7 April, overseas strength from 8 April; landed Gourock 19 April; Ottawa, Ontario; Halifax, Nova Scotia; Gourock, Scotland, United Kingdom.
1941-04-10 — Appointed Brigadier General Staff, Headquarters Canadian Corps, effective while travelling overseas; Headquarters Canadian Corps, Britain.
1941-07-22 to 1941-08-06 — A personal letter sent from Dunoon disclosed confidential military information and opinions. Following censorship interception, McNaughton removed him as BGS and ordered return to Canada; Dunoon, Scotland, United Kingdom; Headquarters Canadian Corps, Britain.
1941-08-07 to 1941-08-17 — Embarked 7 August, ship sailed 8 August; reached Halifax about 16 August and travelled directly to Ottawa. Administrative NDHQ employment from 8 August does not establish physical arrival that day; Britain; Halifax, Nova Scotia; Ottawa, Ontario.
1941-08-18 to 1941-08-27 — Suspended pending investigation. Court-martial was initially contemplated, but final decision was to handle the case without trial. Minister's grave displeasure recorded; Burns expressed regret and agreed to employment at lower rank; National Defence Headquarters, Ottawa, Ontario.
1941-08-27 — Relinquished Brigadier rank and appointed Colonel, Officer Administering Canadian Armoured Corps, coordinating training at Camp Borden; attached A9 Canadian Armoured Corps Training Centre for pay and quarters; Camp Borden, Ontario.
1941-09-11 to 1941-09-17 — Temporary attachment to Officers Training Centre, Brockville; Brockville, Ontario.
1941-09-30 to 1941-10-03 — Duty visit to Ottawa; Ottawa, Ontario.
1941-10-14 to 1941-10-21 — Duty travel through Trenton, Brockville, Montreal and Ottawa; Trenton, Ontario; Brockville, Ontario; Montreal, Quebec; Ottawa, Ontario.
1942-01 — A week's duty visit to Denver was proposed for January; source does not establish completed travel; Denver, United States.
1942-01-14 — Ordered to report to Director of Military Training at NDHQ and be prepared for about one week of Denver duty; order establishes planned travel, not its completion; Ottawa, Ontario; Denver, United States.
1942-02-02 — Appointed Brigadier commanding 4th Canadian Armoured Brigade; relinquished OA, Canadian Armoured Corps; 4th Canadian Armoured Brigade, Debert, Nova Scotia.
1942-02-16 to 1942-02-28 — Struck off Canadian Armoured Corps 16 February, reported at Debert and taken on 4th Brigade 17 February; attached 21st Canadian Armoured Regiment (Governor General's Foot Guards) for rations, 17–28 February; Debert, Nova Scotia.
1942-02-28 to 1942-03-20 — Duty travel Ottawa and Camp Borden, returning 10 March; further Ottawa duty 10–20 March recorded; Ottawa, Ontario; Camp Borden, Ontario; Debert, Nova Scotia.
1942-08-06 — Identification record at Debert: 68.5 inches, 172 pounds, brown hair, hazel eyes; left-hand scar and old empyema scar; Debert, Nova Scotia.
1942-08-25 to 1942-09-03 — Special leave before overseas movement; Canada.
1942-09-25 to 1942-10-07 — Sailed for Britain 25 September, overseas strength from 26 September; receiving record gives landing 7 October, while copies give 1/6 October; Canada; Britain.
1942-12-12 — Seven days privilege leave and 48-hour pass recorded; Britain.
1943-04-09 to 1943-04-13 — Privilege leave recorded; source describes three privilege days within the period; Britain.
1943-05-06 — Appointed Major-General commanding 2nd Canadian Division, succeeding command of 4th Canadian Armoured Brigade; Headquarters 2nd Canadian Division, Britain.
1943-07-02 to 1943-07-29 — Dental scaling on 2 July and extraction of lower right first molar on 29 July at No.1 Canadian General Hospital; Britain.
1943-10-05 to 1943-10-07 — Gold bridge dental work recorded without charge; Britain.
1943-11-06 to 1943-11-07 — Routine outpatient examination, No.9 Canadian General Hospital; old left pleural changes, no active disease, fit; No.9 Canadian General Hospital, Britain.
1944 — Commanded 1st Canadian Corps during the Liri Valley operations and capture of Rimini; the file associates the Greek Mountain Brigade with operations at Rimini; Liri Valley and Rimini, Italy.
1944-01-10 to 1944-01-15 — Vacated 2nd Division 10 January; flew from Britain through North Africa about 13 January to Italy, with theatre-arrival entries 14/15 January; Britain; North Africa; Italy.
1944-01-15 — CVSM and clasp authority stamp recorded; a copied stamp reads 1 January, not used as an invented medal award date; Italy.
1944-01-30 — Appointed Major-General commanding 5th Canadian Armoured Division; Headquarters 5th Canadian Armoured Division, Italy.
1944-03-20 — Appointed acting Lieutenant-General commanding 1st Canadian Corps; Headquarters 1st Canadian Corps, Italy.
1944-10-21 — Distinguished Service Order recorded in Canada Gazette No.43, 21 October 1944; file also carries October order authority; Italy.
1944-11-05 to 1944-11-17 — Relinquished command and acting Lieutenant-General rank on 5 November, reverting to Major-General; posted 1st Canadian General Reinforcement Unit. Flew Italy to Britain 17 November; a summary gives 12 November; Italy; Britain.
1944-12-05 to 1944-12-06 — Appointed Officer in Charge, Canadian Section, GHQ 1st Echelon, 21st Army Group; proceeded to Belgium 6 December; Canadian Section, GHQ 1st Echelon, 21st Army Group, Belgium.
1944-12-06 — French Officier de la Legion d'Honneur and Croix de Guerre avec Palme recorded under Canadian Army Routine Order 5148; Northwest Europe.
1945-02-01 to 1945-02-02 — Returned to Britain on 1 February and to Belgium on 2 February; Britain; Belgium.
1945-02-27 — Appointment title became General Officer in Charge, Canadian Section, 1st Echelon Headquarters, 21st Army Group; later British Army of the Rhine; Canadian Section, 1st Echelon Headquarters, 21st Army Group / British Army of the Rhine.
1945-03-12 to 1945-03-14 — Duty movement Belgium to Britain 12 March and back to Belgium 14 March; Belgium; Britain.
1945-04-25 to 1945-04-28 — Duty movement to Britain 25 April, return Belgium 28 April. Ophthalmology consultation 28 April, No.11 Canadian General Hospital, for near-work difficulty; spectacles prescribed for astigmatism and presbyopia; Britain; Belgium; No.11 Canadian General Hospital.
1945-05-12 to 1945-05-15 — Return to Britain recorded with conflicting 12/15 May dates; retained as a dated range
1945-06-08 — Volunteered for Pacific service; application not accepted, so no Pacific deployment is established; Britain.
1945-08-25 to 1945-09-05 — Selected for Director General of Rehabilitation, Department of Veterans Affairs; vacated Canadian Section, 1st Echelon Headquarters, British Army of the Rhine appointment on 5 September; British Army of the Rhine; Ottawa, Ontario.
1945-09-06 to 1945-09-10 — Posted to 1st Canadian Repatriation Depot; flew London to Canada 10 September on TCA flight 103. Service summary posts him to No.9 District Depot; London, England, United Kingdom; Canada; No.9 District Depot.
1945-09-11 to 1945-09-13 — Seconded for employment with Department of Veterans Affairs effective 11 September; personal account reports joining Ottawa office 13 September; Department of Veterans Affairs, Ottawa, Ontario.
1946-01-24 to 1946-01-28 — Medical board at Ottawa: no illness, weight 184 pounds, PULHEMS 1111111; Ottawa, Ontario.
1946-03-09 to 1946-03-16 — Mentioned-in-Despatches authority recorded 9 March; notification to wife dated 16 March. File also carries an order dated 8 January; certificate received in July 1948; Ottawa, Ontario.
1946-05-09 to 1946-07-17 — Appealed gratuity calculation omitting first overseas period. Amended 17 July total $2,378.33, less $2,008.68 already paid, leaving $369.65; statement copies vary by cents; Department of Veterans Affairs, Ottawa, Ontario.
1946-05-31 to 1946-06-04 — Clarified that post-Liri Valley leave was spent at Hotel Palumbo, Ravello, rather than the private Naples villa mentioned in the unrelated Lister case; Weeks corroborated his account; Ravello, Italy; Ottawa, Ontario.
1946-06-14 — Military-members decision directed that he remain seconded at his present rank pending settlement of secondment policy; Department of Veterans Affairs, Ottawa, Ontario.
1946-07-01 to 1946-10-01 — War Service Badge, General Service Class: eligibility dated 1 July; master entry records issue 1 October. Badge number reading uncertain; Ottawa, Ontario.
1946-11-14 to 1946-12-14 — Secondment to DVA ceased 14 November; posted No.4 District Depot, Montreal, from 15 November. Annual leave 15 November–14 December preceded retirement leave; Ottawa, Ontario; No.4 District Depot, Montreal, Quebec.
1946-12-15 to 1947-06-26 — Retirement leave from 15 December; extension orders amended six months six days to six months twelve days, ending 26 June. Earlier certificates used 20 June; No.4 District Depot, Montreal, Quebec.
1946-12-20 — Minister approved retirement to promote economy: no suitable Army employment at his rank. Normal retirement, with continuing civilian DVA employment; Ottawa, Ontario; Montreal, Quebec.
1946-12-30 — Pay ledger records additional gratuity payment $369.65 after recalculation; Ottawa, Ontario.
1947-03-31 — Granted substantive Canadian Army rank equivalent to temporary Major-General; Canada.
1947-04-19 to 1947-04-22 — Retirement medical board and investigations, Montreal: old left pleuritis without active disease, slight anaemia, ECG within normal limits; PULHEMS 1111111; No.4 District Depot; Queen Mary Veterans Hospital, Montreal, Quebec.
1947-06-20 — Retirement certificate assessed conduct and character as Exemplary. Certificate date precedes final amended retirement of 26 June; No.4 District Depot, Montreal, Quebec.
1947-06-26 — Retired as Major-General to promote economy, after 32 years and one day Permanent/Active Force service. Final amended orders and pension authorization control earlier certificate dates; Montreal, Quebec.
1947-06-27 — Pension entitlement began: $5,653.72 gross annually, less $49.53 annually for unpaid dues for three years and 122 days, giving $5,604.19 net during recovery; public-service employment affected payment; Ottawa, Ontario.
1947-07-12 to 1947-07-16 — Greek Golden Aristion Andrias (Order of Gallantry) authority in Canada Gazette No.28, 12 July; wife congratulated him 16 July; Ottawa, Ontario.
1947-07-31 — Pay allocation corrected: aunt received $50 monthly plus insurance assignments $10 and $4; wife received dependants' allowance, rather than the aunt's assignment; Huntingdon, Quebec; Ottawa, Ontario.
1948 — Offered availability for service in the event of mobilization; Canada.
1948-07-13 — Acknowledged receipt of Mentioned-in-Despatches certificate; Ottawa, Ontario.
1950-07-27 to 1951-09-27 — Canadian Forces Decoration with two clasps approved 27 July 1950; decoration received 9 April 1951, clasps dispatched 25 September and acknowledged 27 September. Greek insignia received 2 March 1951; Ottawa, Ontario.
1954-07-22 to 1954-08-10 — Later service: called out on Continuous Army Duty for UN Truce Supervision Organization, Palestine, effective 22 July; Supplementary Reserve enrolment oath signed 29 July, number TC41740. Major-General, General List; expected to take up UN duties in August; Ottawa, Ontario; Palestine.
1954-07-29 to 1954-08-06 — Later-service medical examination at MIR Lisgar/Rockcliffe: old stable pleural adhesions, no active tuberculosis, profile 2111111; Ottawa and Rockcliffe, Ontario.
1954-10 to 1955-04-28 — Later-service legal/pay correspondence established CAD status while seconded to External Affairs and paid by UN, without Army pay; regulations amended retroactively. Civilian leave without pay is distinct from Army service status; Ottawa, Ontario; Palestine.
1955-06-16 to 1955-06-22 — Pension contributions transferred to Public Service Superannuation: $6,200.87 employee total plus equal government contribution, $12,401.74; Ottawa, Ontario.
1956-04-17 — Later corrected pension correspondence records unpaid retirement dues $165.15, $20.65 recovered, $144.50 outstanding; earlier calculations differ; Ottawa, Ontario.
1956-11 to 1959-12-31 — Later service: commanded United Nations Emergency Force in the Middle East; promoted Lieutenant-General effective 1 January 1958, retired 31 December 1959
1960-01-01 to 1963-06-04 — Appointed ambassador to disarmament committee from 1 January 1960; later correspondence concerns Eighteen-Nation Committee, Geneva; Ottawa, Ontario; Geneva, Switzerland.
1985-09-13 — Died at Ottawa. Existing CWVMP date is accepted as fact; subsequent daughter and archives correspondence confirms he was deceased; Ottawa, Ontario.