Description
Yorkshire Imperial Yeomanry Medal, 3rd Battalion, 23093 Corporal Harry Burniston, Yorkshire Dragoons, 11th Co 3rd Bn Imperial Yeomanry.
Officially impressed: “23093 Cpl H. Burniston.”
Rare medal particularly so to a battle casualty, in excellent condition.
He earned the matching QSA with bars Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal and SA 1901.
According to his Service Papers he was “Wounded in the left leg” leaving a scar, the officially casualty records he was Slightly Wounded on 1st August 1901 at Rheboksfontein.
Note on this day 22922 John Dresser was Killed in action, 28004 Daniel Smith was wounded and died of wounds from this.
Lieut Allan Marriott Hutchins and Burnistion were the wounded.
On the night of 31st July 1901 into the morning of 1st August 1901, a surprise night attack on an enemy laager near Rheboksfontein was launched by the Yorkshire Dragoons.
The result was 37 Boers killed and a large number captured, the British column received 8 casualties, 4 of which look to be these men from the 3rd I.Y.
Further information might be found in the published memoirs of Lieut Hutchins:
https://thehistorypress.co.uk/publication/letters-from-the-empire/
Harry Burniston, was born on October 1870 in Scrayingham, Yorkshire.
The son of Yorkshire locals Francis and Harriet (Wood).
According to his enlistment papers, Harry was a Publican (Pub Owner), an 1894 local entry recalls him running a pub.
He attested for service at Doncaster on 29th January 1901, and was amongst a local draft recruited and swiftly posted to South Africa, he noted that he had prior service already in the Yorkshire Dragoons.
He saw service in South Africa from 14th March 1901 until 10th November 1901, before he returned home and was shortly after discharged on 11th December 1901, being medically unfit for further service, possibly due to his wounds.
