Born	1856
Died	1919
Son of Edward Burney and Caroline Brown

Horace Burney

On his birth certificate his first names are Horace Amyatt and Burney is the surname. On his marriage certificate his first names are still Horace Amyatt but his surname is now Amyatt-Burney.

Born at Cold Harbour, Gosport, Hants. Registered in District of Alverstoke, County of Southhampton.

Horace Amyatt-Burney

Career obtained from Hart?s Army Lists 1875 - 1890

1875 - Unattached Sub-Lieutenant at the Royal Military College.

1875 13 June - Lieutenant in Queen's Royal Dragoons.

1881 18 June - Captain

1884 - last year in Dragoons

1885 - transferred to the Oxfordshire Light Infantry.

In the 1891 Army List he is mentioned as a Captain in the Reserve of Officers. A note states that he was in the S. African War 1879 - Zulu Campaign Medal with clasp. Oxford Light Infantry Reserve of Officers.

In the Monthly Army List for February 1915 (p282 & p114) he was a Major (Ret) in the 5 Reserve Regiment of Cavalry. From: http://www.1914-1918.net/cavre... (Acessed 17th September 2012)

5th Reserve Regiment, Aug 1914 York, 1st and 2nd Dragoons,Northumberland Hussars,Yorkshire Dragoons,Yorkshire Hussars, East Riding Yeomanry Absorbed into 6th early 1917.

6th Reserve Regiment (new) Early 1917 Tidworth, 3rd, 4th, 6th and 7th Dragoon Guards, 1st and 2nd Dragoons, Berkshire Yeomanry

Hertfordshire Yeomanry, Duke of Lancaster's Yeomanry, Northamptonshire Yeomanry, North Somerset Yeomanry, Yorkshire Dragoons

From: ?The Royal Regiment of Dragoons? by General De Ainslie 1887.

Page 222 - Lieutenant H A Amyatt-Burney, having volunteered for service at the Cape of Good Hope was attached to the King's Dragoon Guards and embarked with that corps on 27 February 1879.

Page 223 - Captain Dickson and Lieutenant H Amyatt-Burney arrived in England on 5 November (1879 NW) from the Cape of Good Hope. Lieutenant Burney was present at the capture of King Cetewayo on 28 August 1879, by the squadron of the King?s Dragoon Guards under Major Marter.

Page 230 - Brevet Major Gough on 22 February had exchanged with Captain Burney from 52nd Light Infantry proceeded to relief of Gordon of Khartoum. Major Gough killed at Battle of Abu Klea 17-1-1885.

1889 according to Kelly?s Directory he was living at Bay House Alverstoke, Gosport.

According to Death Certificate he died of Influenza and pneumonia at the Miliary Hospital, York. Major in the Royal Defence Corps. Address: 8 Oakwood Court, Melbury Road, West Kensington, London W14

In the 1891 Census he and his wife and their daughter Esme (aged 3 months) were staying with his father-in-law at Upton Lodge, Bexley, Kent. He is retired from the army.

Horace is Buried at Fulford Cemetery, Nr York. Grave A 8 (Managed by the CWGC)

From the website http://www.qdg.org.uk/digest.p...

1st March

Right Wing 'C', 'D', 'E' & 'G' Troops under command of Colonel Alexander with Captains Benthall, Thompson, Becher, Godson, Lieutenants Sadlier, Marter, Alexander, 2/Lt Dewar, Lt & Adjutant Nicholas, Paymaster Balders, Quarter Master Murphy and Veterinary Surgeon Longhurst, King?s Dragoon Guards, Lt Burney, Royal Dragoons, and Surgeon Major Bourne, Army Med. Depot, 312 Non-Commissioned Officers and Men and 240 Horses, left Aldershot by two Special trains to Southampton for embarkation on Steam Ship ?Egypt? for conveyance to Natal

11th April

The Right Wing under Colonel Alexander disembarked from Steam Ship ?Egypt? at Durban Natal.

20th May

The Regiment marched to Rorkes Drift and thence to the battlefield of Isandhlwana to try to recover important papers, cargo wagons, and with the intention of beginning to bury the non-24th Foot dead. However, the various bodies were simply too putrefied and unapproachable..

21st May

21st May 1879 returning to Rorkes Drift the same day

23rd May

The Regiment proceeded to Landmans Drift

26th May

The Regiment proceeded to Koppie Allein on reconnaissance duty in advance of the 2nd Division.

30th May

'A' & 'B' Troops under the Command of Capt Douglas-Willan, with Lieut Taaffe, and 2nd Lieut Goold-Adams, proceeded to Rorkes Drift for reconnaissance duty and to cover the right flank of the 2nd Division on its advance into Zululand. 'C', 'E' & 'F' Troops and Head Quarters under Col Alexander with Captains Bethall, Beecher, Godson, Watson, Leiuts. Wyndham, Dewar, Lowry and Sub Lieut. Harkness, Quarter Master Murphy and Vet Surg. Longhurst proceeded to Conference Hill for Reconnaissance Duty and to cover the left flank of the 2nd Division on its advance into Zululand. Lieut Brewster appointed Deputy Provost Marshal 2nd Division with 25 Non Commissioned Officers and men as Assistand Provosts.

1st August

'A' Troop under Capt. Douglas-Willan with Lieut. Burney appointed permanent escort to General Sir Garnet J Wolseley G.C.B., G.C.M.G.

28th August

Cetewayo the Zulu King Captured by a Detachment of the King?s Dragoon Guards under Major Marter with Captains Gibbings, Godson, Lieuts. Alexander and Burney at 4.30 p.m. in the Ngome Forest and brought into Ulundi on the 1st Sept.

9th September

'A', 'E' & 'H' Troops rejoined Head Quarters at Utrecht from Ulundi..

From the National Army Museum Book of the Zulu War by Ian Knight, pub 2003.

The Zulu War

Page 268

" In the days following the battle of Ulundi, Cetshwayo

had made his way north, and had accepted an offer of sanctuary from

Chief Zibhebhu, whose territory still lay beyond the reach of British

patrols. The King was depressed, resigned to the fact that he had lost his

kingdom; when some of the young men from the uKhandempemvu

regiment tried to join him, he sent them away. Then, a week after the

battle, he had left his family in Zibhebhu's care - an act which was later

to have bitter repercussions - and moved south again to Mnyamana's

homestead, north of the Black Mfolozi valley. From here he had

attempted to open negotiations with Wolseley, but once it became clear

that the British were interested only in his unconditional surrender and

were prepared to hunt him down, he had taken to the bush. He was

accompanied by just a few of his most faithful attendants, and by several

girls of the royal household. To Wolseley s irritation, however, neither

the recently surrendered chiefs nor the people at large seemed inclined

to betray him. 'They all want peace badly,' noted Anstruther, '[they are]

tired of war and want to sow next year's crops but they are very faithful

brutes and can't make up their minds to give up Cetchwayo.'

In the end, it fell to a patrol of the King's Dragoon Guards, under

the command of Major Richard Marter, to seize what last glory accrued

to the British cause in Zululand. The hunt for the King had aroused the

sporting instincts of Wolseley's officers, particularly those who had

arrived too late to fight at Ulundi, and there had been fierce rivalry

among those engaged in the pursuit to finally capture him. Lieutenant

Amyatt-Burney, attached to the Dragoons, described the excitements -

and tribulations of the chase:

"At 9 a.m. on the 22nd August, 1879, a squadron of the King's

Dragoon Guards, with Captain Gibbings and Godson, Lieutenant

Alexander, ten men of Lonsdale's Horse under Lieutenant Werge,

Lieutenant Burney, Royal Dragoons, the whole under command of

Maior Marter, KDG, left Ulundi on patrol, the object of which was

generally understood to be the attempted capture of the fugitive King

Cetywayo. Two patrols were already out under Major Barrow and

Captain Lord Gifford, VC; and at the drift on the Black Umvoloose,

six companies of the 60th Rifles, with some Mounted Infantry and

Natives under the command of Brigadier General Clark, were posted.

none of the officers seemed very sanguine except the Major,

who kept his information, whatever it was, quite to himself. We had

not been able hitherto to obtain the slightest clue from the natives of

the whereabouts of the King. At daylight on the 28th we saddled up

first filling the nosebags with mealies, which the natives supplied with

very bad grace. Working round to the north and describing very

nearly a horse shoe we came to a steep descent where everyone had

to dismount and lead their horses. When half way down a native

came up with a note from Lord Gifford to Captain Maurice He

handed it to Major Marter, who read it. The contents were to this

effect; Have got on the track again, hope to take him tonight, you

might have given me the tip before, for "Auld lang syne" o There was

much more in the note, but nothing to give the slightest clue about

the object of our search. At the bottom of the hill there was a

delicious stream where we watered the horses and then let them

graze for an hour. As we were about to move off again, a Zulu

appeared coming towards us. Major Marter entered into conversation

with him through an interpreter, and just as he was going away the

Zulu said to the interpreter, -Which way is the inkos going?" Major

Marter said, -I am going over that hill in front.' The native said

I think you had better go round that way (pointing to the right)'

as the wind blows from there to-day. I have had my say' He then

turned round and walked off. The hint was promptly taken, and

everyone became very keen, as Major Marter told the officers that he

thought there was a very good chance of their capturing the King

We then worked due east around the hill, and after a steep climb

came to a kraal three miles on. We halted a little distance off and

the Ma^r with the interpreter rode up to the kraal, which by the

way belonged to Umnyamane, who had surrendered some days

before. Major Marter asked for two guides, and two young men got

up immediately, and led the way to another kraal about two miles

off, situated on the top of a plateau looking down into the valley of

the Ngome Forest. The aspect of the country had now changed

altogether. Hitherto it had been very monotonous, nothing but a

succession of undulating hills covered with rough grass, a good deal

ot which had been burnt; now the country was green and dotted here

and there with clumps of trees, the Ngome Forest forming the back

ground. Un our approaching this kraal, the guides signed to Major

Marter to halt his men close under the edge of the forest, and they

then beckoned to him to follow them, and leading the way through

a strip of wood, they pointed to a thick bush overhanging the valley

about fifty yards on, signing for the Major to go on to it. This lie did

and perceived a kraal of twelve huts surrounded by a wattle fence, in

the valley below. On his return he ordered all the men to draw their

swords and leave their scabbards behind with the led horses and

mules. This was to prevent the clanking of the swords giving any

warning. He also told our natives to strip, so as to appear as much as

possible like Zulus, and he left a Sergeant and eight men in charge of

everything. This done he told the men 'that from all he could gather

the king was in the kraal below in the valley, and that his capture

depended on their obeying silently and quickly any order they might

receive; that they would have to lead their horses down the side of

the mountain, through the forest; and that when they arrived at the

edge of the bush they would have to ride about a quarter of a mile.

The right troop under Lieutenant Alexander was to extend on the

right side; the left troop under command of Captain Godson to

extend to the left, and come up on the left of the kraal - the squadron

being under the command of Captain Gibbings. The natives were

sent round by a circuitous route to the left, to cut off all chance of

escape down the valley. When these preparations were completed,

Major Marter told the guides to show the way, which proved a very

rough one, being simply a kaffir path. We all dismounted and

advanced by single files, leading our horses down a very steep incline,

strewn with rocks and stones; here and there a huge trunk of a tree

barred the path; at another place there was a drop of some feet off a

rock with a nasty landing; in fact to men in cold blood it would have

appeared almost impossible to have got horses down at all. Eventually

all reached the bottom of the hill in safety, and, though several horses

slipped up, none were much damaged. The forest extended to within

four hundred yards of the kraal, and there was a most convenient

knoll between it and us, so that the inhabitants were unable to see

anyone approaching from our side until we were quite close. Directly

everyone was clear of the forest. Major Marter gave the word to

mount, and he then waited for the guides, who had crawled through

the long grass to see if all was right. On their return they appeared

greatly excited, signing the Major to go on; and he accordingly gave

the order to advance at a walk as long as we were hidden by the

knoll. On arriving at the top he gave the word to gallop, and led the

way himself. The ground between the forest and the kraal was rough

and stoney. One man came to grief through his horse putting his

foot in a hole and rolling over him. As the cavalry appeared in sight

of the kraal, our natives showed themselves in the very nick of time

on the other side. One shot was fired, but it is uncertain from

which side. Carrying out Major Marter's instructions we rapidly

and completely surrounded the kraal. The inhabitants, who num-

bered twenty-three, were standing at the very narrow entrance to the

enclosure and armed, some with assegais, some rifles. Major Marter

dismounted and went inside the enclosure with the interpreter.

Umkoosana, an induna of the Unodwengo regiment, who had stuck

to Cetewayo throughout his flight from Ulundi, was told by the

interpreter to show Major Marter in which hut the king was. This he

did (it was the third hut to the right of the entrance) and was then

told to request his majesty to step outside and show himself. The

king at first refused to do so, saying he was afraid that directly he put

his head out of the hut he would immediately be shot. When assured

that his life was safe, he coolly asked 'What rank does the officer

hold to whom I am to surrender?' Major Marter replied that he

was the representative of the Commander-in-Chief. Mr Oftebro, the

interpreter, and son of the Missionary at Ekowe, who had known

Cetywayo since he was a boy, then spoke to him. Cetywayo immedi-

ately recognized his voice, and called out to him by name, asking if

it was safe for him to come out. On being assured in the affirmative

he appeared crawling out of the hut in the usual Kafir fashion, on his

hands and knees. He wore a moncha made of otter-skins, and had

a ringkop on his head. The upper part of his body was covered with a

large red table cloth, embroidered with green flowers, fastened from

the neck in front, and hanging over his shoulders. Directly he stood

up, all doubts as to his being the king were set at rest, as at a glance

we could see his superiority both in appearance and carriage to all

other Zulus. He looked round on everyone with the greatest scorn

and stalked majestically into the middle of the kraal. Six Dragoons

were immediately dismounted and told off as his guard, with loaded

carbines. Cetywayo was informed that if he attempted to escape he

would be immediately shot, and he was then marched outside the

enclosure, while the huts were searched. Amongst the articles found

were several Martini-Henry Rifles, nearly all of which belonged

to the 1st 24th, a battered bugle, and a private's glengarry cap, a few

very fine assegais, including two barbed ones which belonged to the

king himself, and which were found in his hut, and a double-

barrelled central fire gun, which Major Marter eventually appropri-

ated to himself, to the very great disgust of the officer who found it.

Three of the king's wives and three intombis (young girls) were in

one hut, and they were told that they might accompany the king if

they liked. These women were all young, from twelve to twenty-five

years of age. The three wives and two of the intombis were tall and

well developed, with pleasant looking faces; the third intombi was

quite a child. They were all extremely well dressed in the height of

Zulu fashion, which is easy of description, consisting of little more

than a string of beads. When all the huts were cleared th<- king's

followers were taken out of the kraal, and with a guard of mounted

men on each side of them., were told to follow the king, whose

women carried his blankets and mats on their heads. Barton's natives

were sent on ahead as an advance guard, and Major Marter rode

alongside the king, with a drawn sword between his leg and the

saddle flap, and a loaded revolver in his hand, the grim features of

the aged major being lit up with a smile of triumph as he gave the

word to march. That evening - for it was not until half-past 4 p.m.

that everything was in readiness for a start - we only advanced three

miles, entirely owning to the reluctance ofCetywayo to move beyond

a snail's pace. In fact, after Major Marter had repeatedly told him to

step out, but with no effect, Cetywayo turned to the interpreter and

said -Why does not the officer shoot me? I would have killed a man

long ago if he had not obeyed me better.' This probably gave rise to

the rumour that the king asked to be shot. About dusk we arrived at

a small kraal, and the head man was ordered to provide two huts for

the reception of the king and his followers. Accordingly the two

largest huts were cleaned out, and although the king at first ob)ected

to enter the hut until his own attendants had cleaned it out, yet when

he was once inside he was soon made comfortable. The king and his

six women were put into one hut; Umkoosana and the rest into the

other. A strong guard was posted round the two huts, and[Major

Marter himself slept across the doorway of the king's; at daylig-

next morning everyone was on the move. Major Marter