Robert King Holmes Burgess was the eldest son of Dr. Robert Burgess, JP. Coagh. He was educated at the Academical Institution in Derry and Royal School, Dungannon. He served his apprenticeship in Messrs Coombe, Barbour & Coombe Engineering Works in Belfast. At the outbreak of the Boer War he volunteered for the Imperial Yeomanry and was sent to Rhodesia, seeing action at Mafeking. At the end of the Boer War he received the Queen’s Medal with four clasps which was presented by King Edward VII, At the outbreak of the First World War he again volunteered, joining the East Africa Pioneer Company. He was wounded in action on 11th March 1917 when the Imperial Forces routed the Germans at Taveta. He later succumbed to his wounds.
Further Information
Robert King Holmes Burgess was the eldest son of Dr Robert Burgess and Matilda Jane Burgess. Robert was born in Coagh on 27th May 1880. Dr Burgess was a General Medical Practitioner and a Justice of the Peace.
Robert was educated at the Academical Institution in Derry and Royal School, Dungannon. His two younger brothers also went to the college in Derry.
He served his apprenticeship in Messrs Coombe, Barbour & Coombe Engineering Works on the Falls Road in Belfast.
At the outbreak of the Boer War, in March 1900, he volunteered for the Imperial Yeomanry and was sent to Rhodesia, seeing action at Mafeking. At the end of the Boer War he received the Queen’s Medal with four clasps which was presented by King Edward VII.
The 1901 census does not list Robert as living with the family at house 18 in Hanover Street Coagh. Dr Burgess was a General Medical Practitioner and a Justice of the Peace.
The 1911 census does not list Robert as living with the family at house 17 in Hanover Street Coagh.
Family: Robert Burgess, Matilda Jane Burgess, Robert King Holmes Burgess (born 1880), Harold J Burgess (born about 1882), Charles H Burgess (born about 1884), Gladys Mary Burgess (born about 1885), Catherine Maude Burgess (born about 1891).
Robert also received the City of Derry’s gold medal, presented by the Mayor and Corporation to old boys who had volunteered for the Boer War from the City.
At the conclusion of the war in South Africa he returned to Rhodesia and worked for a mining company.
At the outbreak of the First World War he again volunteered, joining the East Africa Pioneer Company, and served with General Smuts in the East African Campaign.
He was wounded in action on 11th March 1917 when the Imperial Forces routed the Germans at Taveta.
Sapper Burgess later succumbed to his wounds on the 17th March 1917.
From the Tyrone Courier dated 23rd March 1916:
The death has taken place from wounds received in action of Mr Robert H Holmes Burgess, East Africa Pioneer Company, who fell in fighting near Taveta, British East Africa, on March 17th. He was the eldest son of Dr Burgess, Coagh.
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated Saturday 25th March 1916:
Robert K H Burgess, eldest son of Dr Robert Burgess, J.P., Coagh, has died of wounds received in the East African campaign. The deceased was educated at the Academical Institution, Derry, and Royal School Dungannon. Afterwards he served his apprenticeship in Messrs Coome, Barbour and Coome’s engineering works, Belfast. At the outbreak of the South African War he volunteered in the Imperial Yeomanry and went to the relief of Mafeking, via Rhodesia. At the termination of this war, he received the Queen’s Medal with four clasps, which was presented by King Edward VII. He also received the City of Derry’s Gold Medal, presented by the Mayor and Corporation to old school boys who had volunteered from the city. At the conclusion of the war in South Africa, he returned to Rhodesia and has since been engaged in work in connection with some of the mines. After the present war broke out he again volunteered, joining the East Africa Pioneer Company, and was with General Smuts in the East African Campaign. He was wounded in the engagement on 11th March when the Imperial Forces routed the Germans at Taveta and succumbed to his wounds. No particulars have yet been received by his parents, to whom the sympathy of the community goes out in their bereavement. Dr Burgess received the following telegram on Wednesday from the Secretary of State:-
‘The King commands me to assure you of the true sympathy of His Majesty and the Queen in your sorrow.’
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated Saturday 25th March 1916:
BURGESS – March 17, died of wounds received in action near Tavetu, British East Africa, Robert King Holmes Burgess, East Africa Pioneer Company, eldest son of Doctor Burgess, Coagh.
Sapper Robert King Holmes Burgess is buried in Plot 7, Row B, Grave 10 at Taveta Military Cemetery in Kenya. He was 36 years old.
The CWGC record Sapper Burgess as the son of Robert and M. I. Burgess, of Coagh, Moneymore, Co. Londonderry.
Many thanks to Paul Kerr and the Royal School Dungannon for his research and all the information provided.
