Orders, Decorations and Medals

A fine Boer War D.S.O. group of five awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel H. B. Burnaby, late Imperial Yeomanry, who, as as C.O. of the 11th (Lambeth) Battalion, Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme in September 1916

Distinguished Service Order, V.R., silver-gilt and enamels; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal (Capt. H. B. Burnaby, Imp. Yeo.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (Capt. H. Burnaby, I.Y.); British War and Victory Medals (Lt. Col. H. B. Burnaby), surname officially corrected on the fourth, generally good very fine (5) £2500-3000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Brian Kieran Collection.

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D.S.O. London Gazette 31 October 1902.

Hugo Beaumont Burnaby was born in May 1874, a nephew of the famous explorer Colonel Fred Burnaby of the Royal Horse Guards (and “Ride to Khiva” fame), and was educated at Uppingham. No doubt possessed of his uncle’s fondness for adventure, young Hugo found employment in ranching in British Columbia in 1893 but, with the advent of hostilities in South Africa, he quickly returned to the U.K. and enlisted in the Wiltshire Imperial Yeomanry, and saw service in that theatre of war in the ranks.

Commissioned in the 1st Battalion, I.Y., in March 1901, and advanced to Captain that June, he served under Generals Rundle and Campbell, and participated in the operations of 8 July to 10 August 1901, when some 4,300 Boers were taken prisoner, among them three Generals, including Prinsloo and Roux, and six Commandants. But it was for his part in the action in Foriesburg District on 16 August that he won his D.S.O., which insignia he received from the King on his return to the U.K. in 1902. He had, meanwhile, been involved in the operations in Brandwater Basin and been mentioned in Kitchener’s despatch of 8 October 1901.

Having then become a game farmer in Wendover, Buckinghamshire, Burnaby was recalled as a Captain in the 15th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry soon after the outbreak of hostilities but, in the following year, raised and took command of the 11th (Lambeth) Battalion, Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment, as a Lieutenant-Colonel, his new command being inspected by King George V in late April 1916, shortly before being embarked for France.

On 6 September, however, Burnaby was killed instantaneously by a shell whilst reconnoitring at Delville Wood - the previous day he had written to the Mayor of Lambeth, saying he had ‘every confidence in the men of Lambeth and know they will give a good account of themselves in the fighting in which they will shortly be taking part.’ He was buried in Danzig Alley Cemetery; sold with a copy of The True Blue, by Michael Alexander, being an account of the life and adventures of his uncle, Colonel Fred Burnaby.