Lieutenant General Eedson Louis Millard "Tommy" Burns, (June 17, 1897 – September 13, 1985) was a senior officer of the Canadian Army and a diplomat. He saw active service in both World War I and World War II. His World War II command during the Italian campaign, although successful, sparked a sharp divide in military academic circles post-war. In the early 1950s, he was the deputy minister for the Veterans Affairs Canada department. He served as the initial commander of the first United Nations peacekeeping force in 1956. In the late 1950s, he became one of Canada's nuclear disarmament negotiators. In the late 1960s and into the 1970s, he taught strategic studies at Carleton University. He wrote several books about his war and peacekeeping experiences. Burns was honoured with several awards including the Order of Canada in 1967 and the Pearson Medal of Peace in 1981.

Early life and military career

E. L. M. Burns was born on June 17, 1897, in Montreal, Quebec. His father was a militia staff officer, a member of the Corps of Guides. He served with the 17th Duke of York's Royal Canadian Hussars (17th D.Y.R.C.H.). He had risen to the rank of signal sergeant by 1913. "Tommy" Burns, student # 1032 graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario, in 1914. He joined the Royal Canadian Engineers, into which he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in June 1915.

thumb|left|220px|E. L. M. Burns, pictured here as a cadet at the Royal Military College of Canada

Burns served in Canada until March 1916 when he went overseas with the 3rd Canadian Division Signal Company, which was composed of engineers. He fought on the Western Front with the Royal Canadian Engineers from 1916 to 1918. He became a staff officer with the 3rd Division's 9th Brigade in March 1917, dealing with supply and personnel and saw action at the Battle of Vimy Ridge. He became a "staff learner" and acted as liaison officer between forward battalions and brigade headquarters. He returned to Canada in 1919 and was stationed at St. John as an engineer officer.

Between the wars

After receiving a commission in the Permanent Force as a captain on 1 April 1920, Burns attended the School of Military Engineering, Chatham, England, for eighteen months. He was an instructor at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario. He returned to Halifax and served on duty during the miners' strike at Glace Bay. He worked in the Survey Department in Ottawa. In 1924, he was appointed as an instructor at RMC in field engineering. He attended the Staff College, Quetta, in British India and returned to Quebec, Canada, in 1930. assumed command of the 4th Canadian Armoured Brigade, part of the 4th Canadian (Armoured) Division, which eventually went to England. Precisely fifteen months after his promotion to brigadier, he received another promotion, this time to major general, on 1 May 1943, when he became the new General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division. He served as a President of the UNAC during the 1950s. He played a critical role in the Middle East peace process from 1954 to 1959. He was instrumental in developing UN peacekeeping. As Chief of Staff in 1954, United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) was designed to maintain the General Armistice Agreements until permanent peace could be formulated.

thumb|right|250px|Moshe Dayan with E. L. M. Burns (1957)

Burns served as a Chief of Staff of the Truce Supervision Organization in Palestine (1954–56) and was thus nearby when the Suez Crisis of 1956 occurred. He then led UNEF as Force Commander from November 1956 to December 1959. He was promoted to lieutenant-general.

He was Canada's principal disarmament negotiator from 1960 to 1968.

250px|left|thumb|E.L.M. Burns meeting General [[Haim Laskov in Tel Aviv in 1959]]

Burns held the chair of Strategic Studies at the Norman Paterson School for International Affairs, Carleton University from 1969 to 1975. He wrote Between Arab and Israeli (1962); General Mud: Memoirs of Two World Wars (1970) and Defense in the Nuclear Age (1976).

He died in Manotick, Ontario at the age of 88 on 13 September 1985. He was given a military ceremonial burial when he was interred in Manotick.

Burns was the 1981 recipient of the Pearson Medal of Peace for his peacekeeping work and his ongoing work regarding nuclear disarmament. He is a 2010 induction to the Wall of Honour at the Royal Military College of Canada. There is also a park located in Nepean named after him.

A mannequin at the Royal Military College of Canada wears "Tommy" Burns's khaki army uniform jacket, covered with medals and wrapped with a Sam Browne belt.

The largest building at the Canadian Forces College is named Burns Hall, and his portrait is displayed at the entrance of the college.

References

Bibliography

  • Burns, Lieutenant-General E.L.M. (1962) Between Arab and Israeli. George G. Harrap.
  • Johnston, Major JP. "ELM Burns–A Crisis of Command." (2006). online

Further reading

  • Eedson Louis Millard Burns at The Canadian Encyclopedia
  • Details of war service from ordersofbattle.com
  • Generals of World War II

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