Captain Robert Burnet, Lonsdale's Mounted Rifles

I'm seeking biographical details for Captain Robert Burnet, of Lonsdale's Mounted Rifles - aka Lonsdale's Horse - has anyone come across anything?

He appears in Terry Sole's For God, Queen & Colony as Rodber Burnett, whereas on the attached cdv he has endorsed it as Mr Robert Burnet, the same spelling of Burnet as appears on the Medal Roll. I have found a Rodber William Stapleton Burnet, who resigned his commission from the 83rd Foot circa 1874, I wonder if Terry Sole discovered a connection?

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Robert Burnet
John Young Collection

I just tried a NAAIRS search but the archives were not responding, I believe he may have been an Englishman living in Cape Town at the time of Lonsdale & Browne's recruiting drive.

The uniform certainly matches other examples of officers in L.M.R. I have in my collection.

Any thoughts?

John Y.

Hi John
Sorry , I cant add anything .

, I have Sole's book as you do .
90th

Posts : 2871 Join date : 2010-06-02

Hello John

Rodber W S Burnet was born in Germany in 1851, a British subject. Here he is, as a visitor, in the 1861 census. His host is Lt General W Darling (shades of Blackadder!).

Note also Fitzroy G Somerset (son of the Duke of Beaufort?).

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He married Ada Hartwell at the British Embassy in Paris on 9 April 1874.
He died on 5 November 1880 at 25 Great Western Rd, Westbourne Park, Middx.

He appears in a few family trees on line but I can see no connection with a Robert Burnet or with South Africa.

The plot thickens!

Steve

KAB
SOURCE GH
TYPE LEER
VOLUME_NO 1/311
SYSTEM 00
REFERENCE 3
PART 1
DESCRIPTION PAPERS RECEIVED FROM SECRETARY OF STATE, LONDON: GENERAL
DESPATCHES.MR. BURNET'S MISSION TO THE CHIEF MOSJESJ IS LIKELY TO
FAIL IN ITS OBJECT, ALTHOUGH MR. BURNETT FEELS ASSURED THAT THE
CHIEF HAS THE POWER OF SATISFYING THE DEMANDS OF THE NATAL
GOVERNMENT.
STARTING 1866
ENDING 1866

John
This is the only connection I can find with the name to Natal. Theres around 240 NAAIRS entries but nothing that seems to fit your parameters.
Possibly your difficulties with getting to NAAIRS is because of the load sheding.

Frank

Thanks chaps, I'll keep digging.

NAAIRS has since sprung into life!

John Y.

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