Born in Rutherglen (Lanarkshire), Scotland and educated at the High School of Glasgow,[1] Burton joined the Royal Air Force in 1937.

149 Squadron[1] before being shot down over the Black Forest and taken prisoner of war.

[2] He escaped from Stalag Luft I (Barth, Germany), making his way to neutral Sweden before being returned to Scotland, and is believed to be the first British POW escapee of WWII to have successfully made it back home;[1] later in the war he was appointed Officer Commanding No.

[2] After the war he was seconded to the Indian Air Force before becoming Group Captain responsible for Organisation at Headquarters RAF Bomber Command in 1958 and then Station Commander at RAF Scampton in 1960.

[2] Having been deputy commander of a display squadron for the 1962 Commonwealth Games in Perth, Australia, he was made Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters No.