s ▁had ▁several ▁posts ▁at ▁the ▁Col onial ▁Service . ▁He ▁served ▁on ▁the ▁Le ew ard ▁Islands ▁from ▁ 1 9 0 5 ▁to ▁ 1 9 1 2 ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 2 ▁became ▁Super visor ▁of ▁Custom s ▁in ▁Niger ia ▁and ▁en list ed ▁in ▁the ▁West ▁Africa ▁Front ier ▁Force . ▁He ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁Cam ero ons ▁Camp aign ▁and ▁became ▁Ad j ut ant ▁of ▁the ▁Niger ia ▁Land ▁Cont ing ent . ▁Burn s ▁was ▁Private ▁Secretary ▁to ▁Sir ▁Frederick ▁( l ater ▁Lord ) ▁L ug ard ▁then ▁Hugh ▁Cl iff ord ▁during ▁their ▁times ▁as ▁Govern ors ▁of ▁Niger ia . ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 4 ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁Col onial ▁Secretary ▁of ▁the ▁Bah am as ▁where ▁he ▁served ▁until ▁ 1 9 2 9 ▁and ▁in ▁which ▁time ▁he ▁carried ▁out ▁the ▁duties ▁of ▁Governor ▁on ▁several ▁occasions . ▁From ▁ 1 9 2 9 ▁to ▁ 1 9 3 4 ▁he ▁was ▁Deput y ▁Chief ▁Secretary ▁to ▁Government ▁of ▁Niger ia . ▁Then , ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 4 7 , ▁was ▁posted ▁to ▁British ▁H ond uras , ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁governor ▁from ▁ 2 ▁November ▁ 1 9 3 4 ▁until ▁ 2 4 ▁February ▁ 1 9 3 9 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁he ▁was ▁second ed ▁to ▁the ▁Col onial ▁Office ▁on ▁special ▁duty ▁in ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁Ass istant ▁Under - Secret ary . ▁Burn s ▁was ▁appointed