Page 20 - GAHS Journal Volume 9

THE DEATH OF COLONEL FRED BURNABY

Frederick Gustavus Burnaby was born in Bedford, England,
son of the Rev. Gustavus Andrew Burnaby, of Somerby Hall,
Leicestershire, and canon of Middleham, Yorkshire, and Harriet
Villebois of Marham House, Norfolk. Educated at Bedford
School, Harrow, Oswestry School, and in Germany, he entered
the Royal Horse Guards in 1859 but finding no chance for active
service, his adventurous spirit saw him take part in balloon
ascents and travels through Spain and Russia. During the
summer of 1874 he accompanied Carlist forces in Spain as a
correspondent for The Times (London) newspaper but before
that campaign ended, was transferred to Africa to report on
General Gordon’s expedition to the Sudan.

Returning to England in early 1875, he completed his plans
to make a journey on horseback to the Khanate of Khiva through
Russian Asia, which had been closed to travellers, which he
accomplished during the winter of 1875 - 1876, and later
described in his book A Ride to Khiva which was a great success
and brought him widespread fame. He subsequently made
another horseback journey through Asia Minor from Scutari to
Erzerum with the object of observing
the Russian frontier, which he
published as On Horseback
Through Asia Minor. During the
1877 Russo-Turkish War he acted
as travelling agent for the Stafford
House (Red Cross) Committee but
had to return to England before the
conflict ended.

In 1879 he married Elizabeth
Hawkins-Whitshed who had inherit-
ed her father’s lands in Greystones,
Co. Wicklow. In 1880 he decided to

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