The term was used by
airman in
World War II for
pilots that were
missing or
killed.
The origin of the term is not certain. Some believe that it has to do with Burton beer which is produced in
Burton-on-Trent. Others have speculated that it has to do with a Spanish Burton, a complicated pulley system involving three blocks. Still others believe that the term originated with a-burton, a method of stacking wooden casks for transport on ships that was prone of toppling.