With the Naval Brigade in Natal, 1899-1900

Two naval guns taken ashore give C. R. N. Burne his particular view of the Boer War. His journal records ten months of service in 1899 and 1900, when he commanded a pair of 12-pounders from H.M.S. Terrible and H.M.S. Tartar. It begins with the hurried preparation of troop transports at Southampton and follows naval service on land during General Buller's operations around Ladysmith, northern Natal and the Transvaal.

Dated entries bring the campaign down to practical details: cold marches, temporary camps, bridge defences and the choice of positions for guns. A climb up Majuba prompts reflections on earlier losses, while the departure of fellow officers leaves Burne feeling lonely after months of shared hardship. The contents also include field gunnery notes and advice on equipment and clothing. Readers interested in military history can follow both the technical work of a naval detachment and the personal routines behind its movements.