James Burnett
Rank: Wireless Operator
Place of Birth: Forfarshire
Date of Death: 02/06/1917
Theatre of Death: S.S. Hollington
Regiment/Service: Mercantile Marine
Memorial: Tower Hill Memorial
Role of Honour, Arbroath and District 1914-1919: Wireless Officer James Burnett, S.S. Hollington, eighteen years of age, was the eldest son of the Rev. George Burnett, Rockcliffe U.F. Church, Glasgow, formerly of Friockheim, and his wife Margaret Howie. He was in the service of the Marconi Company for a year, during which time he made voyages to South America, Australia and the West Indies. He sailed as sole wireless officer on the S.S Hollington, a ship of 11,000 tons, which was carrying munitions of war to Archangel, North of the Shetland Islands, the Hollington was attacked on the 2nd June 1917 by a German submarine, and after a fight of one and a half hours was torpedoed, and snack so suddenly that only two of her crew managed to escape. One of the two survivors said: ” Wireless Officer Burnett had sent out the S.O.S., and came out of his cabin to give some message to the captain. Then he went back to wait for an answer to his call, and must have gone down with his ship standing by the instrument just like the brave boy he was – true to the last.”
1901 census information:
Address: Grattan Place, Gowanlea, Fraserburgh.
Uncle: Thomas P (31) fish curer, born about 1870 in Faserburgh.
Aunt: Isabella F (33) born about 1876 in Tyrie.
Mother: Margaret (30) minister’s wife, born about 18971 in Glasgow.
Sister: Victoria C (3) born about 1898 in Friockheim
Self: James (2) born about 1899 in Friockheim.
Brother: Robert H (9 months) born about 1900 in Friockheim.
1911 Census information:
The family are living in Pollokshields. The family comprises George 46, Margaret 40, Victoria 13, James 12, Robert Howie 10, George Binnie 8, Margaret Isabel 3 and Ernest Wood 1.
Also commemorated on the memorial at Stonelaw High School, Rutherglen.