Background
Burnett was born on in Hyderabad in India, where his father was principal of Nizam College.
Burnett was born on in Hyderabad in India, where his father was principal of Nizam College.
He was educated at Charterhouse School, Heidelberg University and Wadham College in Oxford. Burnett’s name came to prominence in 1938, when he was the navigator and second pilot of a Wellesley bomber that completed a record-breaking non-stop flight of 7,158 miles from Ismailia in Egypt to Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, for which Burnett was awarded the AFC.
Burnett joined the Reserve of Air Force Officers in 1932 and transferred to the Royal Air Force in 1934. He served in World World War II as Commander of Number. 51 Whitley Squadron and then as Commander of Number.
33 Air Navigation School in Canada before becoming Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters Number.
25 Group in 1944. After the War he became an Instructor at the Royal Air Force Staff College, Bracknell and then joined the United Nations Military Staff Committee in New New York He served on the Joint Planning Staff at the Air Ministry from 1949 and became Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters Number.
3 Bomber Group from 1951. He was made Station Commander at the Royal Air Force "V" Bomber Station Royal Air Force Gaydon in 1954, Director of Bombing and Reconnaissance Operations at the Air Ministry in 1956 and Air Officer in charge of Administration at Headquarters Royal Air Force Bomber Command in 1959.
He went on to be Air Officer Commanding Number.
3 Group in 1961, Vice-Chief of the Air Staff in 1964 and Air Secretary in 1967. His last appointment was as Commander-in-Chief Far East Command in Singapore in 1970 before he retired in 1972. Upon his retirement he became Chairman of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, a position he held for ten years until retiring in 1984.
His chairmanship was highly influential in shaping the modern history of the club
The year prior to his appointment 81 players of the Association of Tennis Professionals (Association of Tennis Professionals) had boycotted the Wimbledon Championships, and relations between the players and the club were still strained. Burnett’s calm manner and patient and tactful approach smoothed the way for reconciliation.
He is also credited with giving a young John McEnroe a steer in the right direction following numerous reportings of McEnroe to the referee"s office. Burnett was a keen sports player and received many accolades including two Blues at Oxford University (tennis & squash).
Burnett also felt that the Royal Box should be utilised when members of the Royal family were not in attendance and implemented this rule.