Peter was born to James and Mary Burnett in Easthouses near Dalkieth, Scotland in 1916. He had three brothers David (Davina's father) William & Jimmy and three sisters Mary, Jenny & Margaret.

Not wishing to work in the pits he enlisted into the Royal Scots in 1936. Following a spell at the Depot Glencorse Barracks, he was posted to the 2nd Battalion in Hong Kong.

While in Hong Kong he met and married Amy, a nurse, and in 1941 their daughter Margaret was born.

When the Japanese invaded Hong Kong in December 1941, Peter fought in the battles until Hong Kong fell. He was taken a Prisoner of War and held in Shamshuipo Camp. In September 1942 he was one of the prisoners, who the Japanese selected to transport to Japan, and he boarded the Lisbon Maru. He did not survive the sinking.

Amy and Margaret were held in the civilian internment camp Stanley, but for years nobody knew what had happened to them.

In 1945 Peter's mother Mary placed an advert in the newspapers, seeking information on her missing daughter-in-law and grandchild. They were found and Amy and Margaret travelled to Britain (with the assistance of the Red Cross) on the Cunard ship Arawa, arriving in Southampton on the 13th December 1945. Margaret remembers having her 4th birthday on board the troopship.

Amy lived to the age of 101.