David Ernest Burns
David Ernest Burns (1904-1943)
1939 A.M.I.Mech.E. Asst. Works Manager, Guest, Keen & Nettlefolds, Ltd., St. George 's Works, Grove Lane, Smethwick. Private address: 4, Hawthorn Croft, Quinten, Birmingham. Age: 34.
Formerly Asst. Works Engr. to Chillington Tool Co., Ltd., Wolverhampton; Engr. with Huilever S.A., Belgian Congo.
1943 Obituary [1]
Captain DAVID ERNEST BURNS, R.E.M.E., whose death occurred on active service on 5th January 1943, was elected a Student of the Institution in 1923 and was transferred to Associate Membership in 1931.
He was born in 1904 and served his apprenticeship with Messrs. Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds, Ltd., Smethwick, from 1921 to 1925, during which period he attended the Smethwick Technical College. His first employment was with the Albion Motor Car Company, Birmingham, where he acted as service manager with the supervision of the repair shop and costings. In 1929 he was appointed manager of the tools department and assistant to the works engineer of the Chillington Tool Company, Wolverhampton.
Two years later he went to the Belgian Congo on his appointment as engineer to the Huilever (S.A.) Company, palm oil producers. On his return to England in 1934 he rejoined Messrs. Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds in the capacity of assistant works manager. Early in the present war Captain Burns was gazetted lieutenant in the R.A.O.C., subsequently transferring to the newly-formed corps of the R.E.M.E.