Sir James Burnett, 13th Baronet

Major-General Sir James Lauderdale Gilbert Burnett, 13th Baronet, CB, CMG, DSO & Bar (1 April 1880 – 13 August 1953) was a British Army officer.

Sir James Burnett
Major General Sir James Lauderdale Gilbert Burnett, by John St Helier Lander
Born	(1880-04-01)1 April 1880
Died	13 August 1953(1953-08-13) (aged 73)
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army
Years of service	1899–1935
Rank	Major-General
Commands	51st (Highland) Division 8th Infantry Brigade 153rd Infantry Brigade 14th Infantry Brigade 1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders
Battles / wars	Second Boer War First World War
Awards	Companion of the Order of the Bath Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George Distinguished Service Order & Bar Mentioned in Despatches Officer of the Legion of Honour (France)

Military career

Born the son of Colonel Sir Thomas Burnett, 12th Baronet, and Mary Elizabeth Cumine^[1] and educated at Wellington College,^[2] Burnett was commissioned into the Gordon Highlanders on 6 December 1899.^[3] He was appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order in March 1915^[4] and subsequently commanded the 1st Battalion, the Gordon Highlanders and then a brigade during the First World War.^[2]

Burnett went on to be commander of the 14th Infantry Brigade in January 1927, commander of the 153rd Infantry Brigade in January 1928 and commander of the 8th Infantry Brigade in March 1930.^[5] His last appointment was as General Officer Commanding 51st (Highland) Division in June 1931 before retiring in June 1935.^[5]

Burnett was colonel of the Gordon Highlanders from 1939 to 1948.^[6] He gave Crathes Castle, which had served as the ancestral seat of the Burnetts of Leys, to the National Trust for Scotland in 1951.^[7]

Family

In 1913, Burnett married Sybil Crozier Smith;^[8] they had two sons and a daughter,^[9] Rohays, who was the mother of the racehorse trainer Sir Henry Cecil.^[10]