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Charles Burnett (RAF officer)
Encyclopedia
Air Chief Marshal
Sir Charles Stuart Burnett KCB
, CBE
, DSO
(3 April 1882 – 9 April 1945) was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force
during the first half of the 20th century. During the Second World War
, he served as Chief of the Air Staff of the Royal Australian Air Force
.
, USA
on 3 April 1882. He was the second son of John Alexander Burnett and Charlotte Susan Burnett. John Burnett was originally from the Scottish village of Kemnay
in Aberdeenshire
.
Burnett was educated at Bedford School
in England
. His younger brother was Robert Burnett
who was later knighted and rose to the rank of admiral.
in order to fight in the Second Boer War
. Burnett claimed to be 18 when he was in fact only 17. He was discharged in 1901 in order that he might take a commission and he was gazetted
as a second lieutenant
in the Highland Light Infantry
in October 1901. Burnett was then attached to the Imperial Yeomanry for the next three years. He temporarily held the rank of lieutenant from 26 April 1902 to 7 February 1903.
On 20 August 1904, Burnett was seconded to the West African Frontier Force. During the next five years Burnett saw action in Northern Nigeria
, contracted blackwater fever
, was promoted to lieutenant
and was twice Mentioned in Despatches.
Burnett resigned his commission in September 1909 and then entered business as a part-owner of a shop in Portuguese Guinea
. He did not meet with particular success as a businessman and by 1911 was employed by the British diplomatic service as the assistant resident
in Ilorin
, Nigeria.
. After qualifying as a pilot in November 1914, he was commissioned as a Lieutenant on 4 December 1914. Burnett married Sybil Pack-Beresford just six days before his first posting as a Royal Flying Corps
wing adjutant, which brought a temporary promotion to captain. In May 1915, Burnett was posted as a flight commander on No. 17 Squadron
where he flew BE2c from Gosport
and then Egypt
. He became a substantive captain on 1 October 1916.
On 2 April 1916, Burnett was promoted to temporary major and appointed Officer Commanding of No. 36 Squadron
, which was stationed in Cramlington
. In October the same year Burnett was sent to the Western Front as Officer Commanding No. 12 Squadron
. During his tour as Officer Commanding No. 12 Squadron, Burnett was once again mentioned in dispatches.
With a promotion to temporary lieutenant-colonel on 8 October 1917, Burnett was granted command of the Flying Corps' Fifth Wing which was operating in Palestine
. Following his wing's contribution to the British victory in the Battle of Jerusalem
in December 1917, Burnett was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
. He was also awarded the Egypt
ian Order of the Nile
, Third Class, and in the 1919 King's Birthday Honours he was made a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in recognition of his wartime service in Egypt.
(RAF) and the next few years of his military career were to involve many changes of post. In 1919, Burnett was promoted to the temporary rank of brigadier-general and appointed (again temporarily) as General Officer Commanding
the RAF's Palestine Brigade. Later the same year, he accepted the offer of a permanent commission in the RAF with the rank of wing commander
.
In April 1920, Burnett was given command of the RAF's Mesopotamian Wing and when the wing was upgraded to a group
, he worked as a staff officer at the group's HQ. From February to October 1921, Burnett was a supernumerary
, first at the HQ Middle East Area and then at No. 7 Group
where he was sent pending his next posting. It was during this time that Burnett was promoted to Group Captain
, although for some of the period he was on the half-pay list.
Burnett took up command of No. 29 Group in October 1921 but this was a short-lived appointment. In April 1922, Burnett was posted as station commander of RAF Leuchars
which was a training base at that time. Once again Burnett did not spend long in post. By December 1922, he was a supernumerary once more, this time at the RAF Depot. From 1923-early 1927, Burnett served as the Deputy Director of Operations and Intelligence at the Air Ministry. He was made a Companion of the Bath (CB) in the 1927 New Year Honours
. Burnett was then posted as the Commandant
of the Central Flying School
where he served until January 1929.
Having just been promoted to air commodore
, Burnett's next tour saw him return to Iraq as the Senior Air Staff Officer at the HQ of Iraq Command
where he served for the next two years. In early 1931, he returned to the UK
and he was appointed to the double-hatted position of Deputy Chief of the Air Staff
and Director of Operations and Intelligence. Burnett was promoted air vice-marshal
the following July and he remained in post for a little under a year and a half.
In November 1932, Burnett returned to Iraq once more, this time as the Air Officer Commanding
Iraq Command
which placed him in charge of all British forces in Iraq. During his time in command Burnett was involved in the suppression of several tribal incursions near Kuwait
and during one such occasion Burnett was wounded.
Burnett returned to Great Britain at the start of 1935 to take up command of the RAF's Inland Area. At the start of 1936, whilst Burnett was Air Officer Commanding Inland Area, he was promoted to air marshal
and was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the New Year Honours list. Later that year the RAF's command
structure underwent a major reorganization. One of the changes was the redesignation of Inland Area as Training Command
and Burnett became the command's first Air Officer Commander-in-Chief. The next three years placed great demands upon Burnett and his command; as the threat from the German Luftwaffe
increased, Training Command played a key role in the expansion of the RAF.
In July 1939, just prior to the outbreak of the Second World War
, Burnett was appointed an additional Inspector-General of the RAF
and in August he was a member of British military mission to the Soviet Union
.
. Burnett's appointment to the senior post in the RAAF was not without controversy. Apart from the fact that by 1940 Burnett was due for retirement and his health was not at its best, the choice of a British officer over an Australian one caused open resentment in many quarters of the RAAF. The Australian prime minister, Robert Menzies
, had decided that a British officer should head the RAAF, believing that Australian officers lacked the necessary experience. After discussions between the British and Australian governments, Burnett was selected and given an acting promotion to Air Chief Marshal
, a rank he subsequently retained.
The vexed question of Australia's role in the Empire Air Training Scheme
(EATS) had led to the resignation of Air Vice Marshal Stanley Goble
, the previous substantive RAAF Chief of the Air Staff. Unlike Goble and several other senior RAAF commanders, Burnett believed that his most important task was to implement EATS to the full and thereby increase Australia's ability to provide aircrew to the RAF. Under Burnett the RAAF expanded from a strength of 3,489 men just prior to the outbreak of war to 79,074 in May 1942. Of the approximately 80,000 personnel in the RAAF when Burnett was replaced, 42 per cent were EATS personnel.
Burnett also strove to increase the number of aircraft in the RAAF, although in this regard he was less successful than he was with increasing aircrew numbers. Under Burnett, RAAF units were placed in forward positions and priority was given to the aerial protection of Australian sea lanes. He also took a key role in the establishments of the Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force
(WAAAF) and RAAF health services, the latter having previously been provided by the Australian Army
.
From October 1941, Burnett had a strained working relationship with Arthur Drakeford
the Australian Labor Party
's minister for air who had just then been appointed. Burnett and Drakeford frequently clashed and when in early 1942 Burnett proposed sweeping organizational changes, including the abolition of the RAAF's Air Board, a breaking point was reached. Additionally, it had been widely argued that Burnett's focus on the European theatre resulted in the RAAF lacking sufficient defensive strength and by 1942 the threat of invasion by Japan was growing. Burnett was replaced in May 1942 by an Australian, Air Vice-Marshal George Jones
, who succeeded to the position despite Burnett's lobbying for his deputy, Air Vice Marshal William Bostock
, to take over.
Burnett retired from the RAF shortly after his return to Britain. However, in 1943 he worked full-time in the RAF's cadet organisation, the Air Training Corps
, as the commandant of the ATC's Central Command. In this role, Burnett was responsible for ATC squadrons in Hertfordshire, Middlesex, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Bedfordshire. By 1945 Burnett remained as commandant but his health was declining and on 9 April 1945 he died of a coronary thrombosis
at the Princess Mary Hospital at RAF Halton
. Charles Burnett was survived by his wife and four daughters.
Air Chief Marshal
Air chief marshal is a senior 4-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Sir Charles Stuart Burnett KCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(3 April 1882 – 9 April 1945) was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
during the first half of the 20th century. During the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he served as Chief of the Air Staff of the Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
.
Early life
Charles Burnett was born in Browns Valley, MinnesotaBrowns Valley, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 690 people, 285 households, and 171 families residing in the city. The population density was 878.5 people per square mile . There were 317 housing units at an average density of 403.6 per square mile...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on 3 April 1882. He was the second son of John Alexander Burnett and Charlotte Susan Burnett. John Burnett was originally from the Scottish village of Kemnay
Kemnay
Kemnay is a town west of Aberdeen in Scotland. It has a population of about 4,500 .- History :The villagename Kemnay is believed to originate from the Celtic words that mean bend and river due to...
in Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area.The present day Aberdeenshire council area does not include the City of Aberdeen, now a separate council area, from which its name derives. Together, the modern council area and the city formed historic...
.
Burnett was educated at Bedford School
Bedford School
Bedford School is not to be confused with Bedford Modern School or Bedford High School or Old Bedford School in Bedford, TexasBedford School is an HMC independent school for boys located in the town of Bedford, England, United Kingdom...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. His younger brother was Robert Burnett
Robert Burnett
Admiral Sir Robert Lindsay Burnett, GBE, KCB, CStJ, DSO was an officer in the Royal Navy.-Naval career:Educated at Bedford School, Burnett joined the Royal Navy in 1902. He served on the China Station from 1904 and then with the Atlantic and Mediterranean Fleets from 1908...
who was later knighted and rose to the rank of admiral.
Early career
In 1899, Burnett enlisted as a private in the Imperial YeomanryImperial Yeomanry
The Imperial Yeomanry was a British volunteer cavalry regiment that mainly saw action during the Second Boer War. Officially created on 24 December 1899, the regiment was based on members of standing Yeomanry regiments, but also contained a large contingent of mid-upper class English volunteers. In...
in order to fight in the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
. Burnett claimed to be 18 when he was in fact only 17. He was discharged in 1901 in order that he might take a commission and he was gazetted
London Gazette
The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...
as a second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in the Highland Light Infantry
Highland Light Infantry
The Highland Light Infantry was a regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1959. In 1923 the regimental title was expanded to the Highland Light Infantry ...
in October 1901. Burnett was then attached to the Imperial Yeomanry for the next three years. He temporarily held the rank of lieutenant from 26 April 1902 to 7 February 1903.
On 20 August 1904, Burnett was seconded to the West African Frontier Force. During the next five years Burnett saw action in Northern Nigeria
Northern Nigeria
Northern Nigeria is a geographical region of Nigeria. It is more arid and less densely populated than the south. The people are largely Muslim, and many are Hausa...
, contracted blackwater fever
Blackwater fever
Blackwater fever is a complication of malaria in which red blood cells burst in the bloodstream , releasing hemoglobin directly into the blood vessels and into the urine, frequently leading to kidney failure...
, was promoted to lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
and was twice Mentioned in Despatches.
Burnett resigned his commission in September 1909 and then entered business as a part-owner of a shop in Portuguese Guinea
Portuguese Guinea
Portuguese Guinea was the name for what is today Guinea-Bissau from 1446 to September 10, 1974.-History:...
. He did not meet with particular success as a businessman and by 1911 was employed by the British diplomatic service as the assistant resident
Resident (title)
A Resident, or in full Resident Minister, is a government official required to take up permanent residence in another country. A representative of his government, he officially has diplomatic functions which are often seen as a form of indirect rule....
in Ilorin
Ilorin
Ilorin is one of the largest cities in Nigeria and is the capital of Kwara State. As of 2007 it had a population of 847,582.-History:Ilorin was founded by the Yoruba, one of the three largest ethnic groups in Nigeria, in 1450...
, Nigeria.
First World War
With the outbreak of hostilities in 1914, Burnett rejoined the British ArmyBritish Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. After qualifying as a pilot in November 1914, he was commissioned as a Lieutenant on 4 December 1914. Burnett married Sybil Pack-Beresford just six days before his first posting as a Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
wing adjutant, which brought a temporary promotion to captain. In May 1915, Burnett was posted as a flight commander on No. 17 Squadron
No. XVII Squadron RAF
No. 17 Squadron is an active squadron of the Royal Air Force and the Operational Evaluation Unit for the Typhoon T.1 and F.2.-History:...
where he flew BE2c from Gosport
Gosport
Gosport is a town, district and borough situated on the south coast of England, within the county of Hampshire. It has approximately 80,000 permanent residents with a further 5,000-10,000 during the summer months...
and then Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. He became a substantive captain on 1 October 1916.
On 2 April 1916, Burnett was promoted to temporary major and appointed Officer Commanding of No. 36 Squadron
No. 36 Squadron RAF
No. 36 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps was formed at Cramlington on February 1, 1916 and was disbanded for the last time in 1975.-First World War:No...
, which was stationed in Cramlington
Cramlington
Cramlington is a town and civil parish in the county of Northumberland, North East England, situated north of the city of Newcastle upon Tyne. The town's name suggests a probable founding by the Danes or an Anglo-Saxon origin, the word "ton" meaning town. The population was estimated as 39,000 in...
. In October the same year Burnett was sent to the Western Front as Officer Commanding No. 12 Squadron
No. 12 Squadron RAF
No. 12 Squadron of the Royal Air Force currently operates the Tornado GR4 from RAF Lossiemouth.-History:No. 12 Squadron Royal Flying Corps was formed in February 1915 from a flight of No. 1 Squadron RFC at Netheravon. The squadron moved to France in September 1915 and operated a variety of aircraft...
. During his tour as Officer Commanding No. 12 Squadron, Burnett was once again mentioned in dispatches.
With a promotion to temporary lieutenant-colonel on 8 October 1917, Burnett was granted command of the Flying Corps' Fifth Wing which was operating in Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
. Following his wing's contribution to the British victory in the Battle of Jerusalem
Battle of Jerusalem (1917)
The Battle of Jerusalem developed from 17 November with fighting continuing until 30 December 1917 during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of World War I...
in December 1917, Burnett was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
. He was also awarded the Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian Order of the Nile
Order of the Nile
The Order of the Nile is Egypt's highest state honor. The award was instituted in 1915 by Sultan Hussein Kamel to be awarded by Egypt for exceptional services to the nation...
, Third Class, and in the 1919 King's Birthday Honours he was made a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in recognition of his wartime service in Egypt.
Inter-war period
By the close of the war, Burnett had transferred to the newly-formed Royal Air ForceRoyal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
(RAF) and the next few years of his military career were to involve many changes of post. In 1919, Burnett was promoted to the temporary rank of brigadier-general and appointed (again temporarily) as General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
the RAF's Palestine Brigade. Later the same year, he accepted the offer of a permanent commission in the RAF with the rank of wing commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
.
In April 1920, Burnett was given command of the RAF's Mesopotamian Wing and when the wing was upgraded to a group
Group (air force)
A group is a military aviation unit, a component of military organization and a military formation. Usage of the terms group and wing differ from one country to another, as well as different branches of a defence force, in some cases...
, he worked as a staff officer at the group's HQ. From February to October 1921, Burnett was a supernumerary
Supernumerary
A Supernumerary is an additional member of an organization. A supernumerary is also a non-regular member of a staff, a member of the staff or an employee who works in a public office who is not part of the manpower complement...
, first at the HQ Middle East Area and then at No. 7 Group
No. 7 Group RAF
Number 7 Group of the Royal Air Force was an RAF group active in the latter part of World War I, during the 1920s and also in World War II.-Organizational history:...
where he was sent pending his next posting. It was during this time that Burnett was promoted to Group Captain
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
, although for some of the period he was on the half-pay list.
Burnett took up command of No. 29 Group in October 1921 but this was a short-lived appointment. In April 1922, Burnett was posted as station commander of RAF Leuchars
RAF Leuchars
RAF Leuchars is the most northerly air defence station in the United Kingdom. It is located in Leuchars, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland, near to the university town of St Andrews.-Operations:...
which was a training base at that time. Once again Burnett did not spend long in post. By December 1922, he was a supernumerary once more, this time at the RAF Depot. From 1923-early 1927, Burnett served as the Deputy Director of Operations and Intelligence at the Air Ministry. He was made a Companion of the Bath (CB) in the 1927 New Year Honours
New Year Honours
The New Year Honours is a part of the British honours system, being a civic occasion on the New Year annually in which new members of most Commonwealth Realms honours are named. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen Elizabeth II...
. Burnett was then posted as the Commandant
Commandant
Commandant is a senior title often given to the officer in charge of a large training establishment or academy. This usage is common in anglophone nations...
of the Central Flying School
Central Flying School
The Central Flying School is the Royal Air Force's primary institution for the training of military flying instructors. Established in 1912 it is the longest existing flying training school.-History:...
where he served until January 1929.
Having just been promoted to air commodore
Air Commodore
Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
, Burnett's next tour saw him return to Iraq as the Senior Air Staff Officer at the HQ of Iraq Command
RAF Iraq Command
Iraq Command was the RAF commanded inter-service command in charge of British forces in Iraq in the 1920s and early 1930s, during the period of the British Mandate of Mesopotamia. It continued as British Forces in Iraq until 1941 when it was replaced by AHQ Iraq...
where he served for the next two years. In early 1931, he returned to the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and he was appointed to the double-hatted position of Deputy Chief of the Air Staff
Deputy Chief of the Air Staff
The Deputy Chief of the Air Staff was a senior appointment in the Royal Air Force. The incumbent was the deputy to the Chief of the Air Staff. The post existed from 1918 to 1968 or 1969...
and Director of Operations and Intelligence. Burnett was promoted air vice-marshal
Air Vice-Marshal
Air vice-marshal is a two-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in...
the following July and he remained in post for a little under a year and a half.
In November 1932, Burnett returned to Iraq once more, this time as the Air Officer Commanding
Air Officer Commanding
Air Officer Commanding is a title given in the air forces of Commonwealth nations to an air officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, an air vice marshal might be the AOC 38 Group...
Iraq Command
RAF Iraq Command
Iraq Command was the RAF commanded inter-service command in charge of British forces in Iraq in the 1920s and early 1930s, during the period of the British Mandate of Mesopotamia. It continued as British Forces in Iraq until 1941 when it was replaced by AHQ Iraq...
which placed him in charge of all British forces in Iraq. During his time in command Burnett was involved in the suppression of several tribal incursions near Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
and during one such occasion Burnett was wounded.
Burnett returned to Great Britain at the start of 1935 to take up command of the RAF's Inland Area. At the start of 1936, whilst Burnett was Air Officer Commanding Inland Area, he was promoted to air marshal
Air Marshal
Air marshal is a three-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
and was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the New Year Honours list. Later that year the RAF's command
Command (military formation)
A command in military terminology is an organisational unit that the individual in Military command has responsibility for. A Commander will normally be specifically appointed into the role in order to provide a legal framework for the authority bestowed...
structure underwent a major reorganization. One of the changes was the redesignation of Inland Area as Training Command
RAF Training Command
Training Command was the RAF's command responsible for flying and ground training from 1936 to 1940 and again from 1968 to 1977.-History:Training Command was formed from Inland Area on 1 May 1936 and absorbed into RAF Support Command on 13 June 1977...
and Burnett became the command's first Air Officer Commander-in-Chief. The next three years placed great demands upon Burnett and his command; as the threat from the German Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
increased, Training Command played a key role in the expansion of the RAF.
In July 1939, just prior to the outbreak of the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Burnett was appointed an additional Inspector-General of the RAF
Inspector-General of the RAF
The Inspector-General of the RAF was a senior appointment in the Royal Air Force, responsible for the inspection of airfields. The post existed from 1918 to 1920 and from 1935 until the late 1960s....
and in August he was a member of British military mission to the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.
RAAF Chief of the Air Staff
Burnett continued in his role as Inspector-General of the RAF until 1940 when he was appointed Chief of the Air Staff of the Royal Australian Air ForceRoyal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
. Burnett's appointment to the senior post in the RAAF was not without controversy. Apart from the fact that by 1940 Burnett was due for retirement and his health was not at its best, the choice of a British officer over an Australian one caused open resentment in many quarters of the RAAF. The Australian prime minister, Robert Menzies
Robert Menzies
Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia....
, had decided that a British officer should head the RAAF, believing that Australian officers lacked the necessary experience. After discussions between the British and Australian governments, Burnett was selected and given an acting promotion to Air Chief Marshal
Air Chief Marshal
Air chief marshal is a senior 4-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
, a rank he subsequently retained.
The vexed question of Australia's role in the Empire Air Training Scheme
British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan , known in some countries as the Empire Air Training Scheme , was a massive, joint military aircrew training program created by the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, during the Second World War...
(EATS) had led to the resignation of Air Vice Marshal Stanley Goble
Stanley Goble
Air Vice Marshal Stanley James Goble CBE, DSO, DSC was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force . He served three terms as Chief of the Air Staff, alternating with Wing Commander Richard Williams...
, the previous substantive RAAF Chief of the Air Staff. Unlike Goble and several other senior RAAF commanders, Burnett believed that his most important task was to implement EATS to the full and thereby increase Australia's ability to provide aircrew to the RAF. Under Burnett the RAAF expanded from a strength of 3,489 men just prior to the outbreak of war to 79,074 in May 1942. Of the approximately 80,000 personnel in the RAAF when Burnett was replaced, 42 per cent were EATS personnel.
Burnett also strove to increase the number of aircraft in the RAAF, although in this regard he was less successful than he was with increasing aircrew numbers. Under Burnett, RAAF units were placed in forward positions and priority was given to the aerial protection of Australian sea lanes. He also took a key role in the establishments of the Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force
Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force
The Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force was formed in March 1941 after considerable lobbying by women keen to serve and by the Chief of the Air Staff who wanted to release male personnel serving in Australia for service overseas. The WAAAF was the first and largest of the World War II...
(WAAAF) and RAAF health services, the latter having previously been provided by the Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
.
Return to United Kingdom and death
Arthur Drakeford
Arthur Samuel Drakeford was an Australian politician and was the minister responsible for the Royal Australian Air Force during World War II...
the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
's minister for air who had just then been appointed. Burnett and Drakeford frequently clashed and when in early 1942 Burnett proposed sweeping organizational changes, including the abolition of the RAAF's Air Board, a breaking point was reached. Additionally, it had been widely argued that Burnett's focus on the European theatre resulted in the RAAF lacking sufficient defensive strength and by 1942 the threat of invasion by Japan was growing. Burnett was replaced in May 1942 by an Australian, Air Vice-Marshal George Jones
George Jones (RAAF officer)
Air Marshal Sir George Jones KBE, CB, DFC was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force . He rose from private soldier in World War I to Air Marshal in 1948, and served as Chief of the Air Staff from 1942 to 1952, the longest continuous tenure of any RAAF chief...
, who succeeded to the position despite Burnett's lobbying for his deputy, Air Vice Marshal William Bostock
William Bostock
Air Vice Marshal William Dowling Bostock CB, DSO, OBE was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force. During World War II he led RAAF Command, the Air Force's main operational formation, with responsibility for the defence of Australia and air offensives against Japanese targets in the...
, to take over.
Burnett retired from the RAF shortly after his return to Britain. However, in 1943 he worked full-time in the RAF's cadet organisation, the Air Training Corps
Air Training Corps
The Air Training Corps , commonly known as the Air Cadets, is a cadet organisation based in the United Kingdom. It is a voluntary youth group which is part of the Air Cadet Organisation and the Royal Air Force . It is supported by the Ministry of Defence, with a regular RAF Officer, currently Air...
, as the commandant of the ATC's Central Command. In this role, Burnett was responsible for ATC squadrons in Hertfordshire, Middlesex, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Bedfordshire. By 1945 Burnett remained as commandant but his health was declining and on 9 April 1945 he died of a coronary thrombosis
Thrombosis
Thrombosis is the formation of a blood clot inside a blood vessel, obstructing the flow of blood through the circulatory system. When a blood vessel is injured, the body uses platelets and fibrin to form a blood clot to prevent blood loss...
at the Princess Mary Hospital at RAF Halton
RAF Halton
RAF Halton is one of the largest Royal Air Force stations in the United Kingdom, located near the village of Halton near Wendover, Buckinghamshire.HRH The Duchess of Cornwall is the Honorary Air Commodore of RAF Halton.-History:...
. Charles Burnett was survived by his wife and four daughters.
Honours and awards
- Knight Commander of the Order of the BathOrder of the BathThe Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
- 1 January 1936 (CB - 1 January 1927) - Commander of the Order of the British EmpireOrder of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
- 3 June 1919 - Distinguished Service OrderDistinguished Service OrderThe Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
11 April 1918 [1 January 1918] - Mentioned in Despatches - 25 August 1905, 2 July 1907, 25 July 1917, 7 October 1918 [14 June 1918], 22 January 1919, 5 June 1919, 28 October 1921
- Order of the NileOrder of the NileThe Order of the Nile is Egypt's highest state honor. The award was instituted in 1915 by Sultan Hussein Kamel to be awarded by Egypt for exceptional services to the nation...
, 3rd Class (Egypt) - 18 November 1919 - Order of the SwordOrder of the SwordThe Order of the Sword is a Swedish order of chivalry created by King Frederick I of Sweden on February 23, 1748, together with the Order of the Seraphim and the Order of the Polar Star.Awarded to officers, and originally intended as an award for bravery and particularly long or useful service, it...
, Knight (Sweden) - 1934