A. G. Hales

“ Lord Roberts, the supreme judge of Major Burnham's achievements, wrote the following letter, which had not before been made public:
"Dear Major Burnham. As I hear you are about to return to Europe, I take this opportunity of thanking you for the valuable services you have rendered since you joined my headquarters at Paardeberg last February. I doubt if any other man in the force could have successfully carried out the thrilling enterprises in demanding as they did the training of a lifetime, combined with exceptional courage, caution, and powers of endurance. ”

“ Before Johannesburg was taken Major Burnham blew up the railway in three places and thus prevented the enemy removing their locomotive (Cheers.) When Lord Roberts made his dash upon Pretoria, Major Burnham, carrying a quantity of explosives, essayed to blow up the rail east of the town. For once the Boers saw and fired at him, killing his horse, and the animal fell upon him, causing severe injury. But he clung to his explosives, crawled through the Boer lines and blew up the railway east of Pretoria thereby preventing the Boer removing 3,000 British prisoners. ”