ALFRED BURGESS 

Regimental Number 3251 Private Alfred Burgess of 1st Bn Kings Royal Rifle Corps died on 21st July 1900 of enteric fever (typhoid). He is buried at Hardwick Street Cemetery, Newcastle, Natal, South Africa (Grave A34).

The 1st Battalion fought at the battle of Glencoe at Talana Hill on 20 Oct 1899 and at Lombard's Kop on 30 Oct 1899. They were in Ladysmith throughout the siege and were holding Waggon Hill during the great attack by the Boers on 6 Jan 1900. They were part of the advance north into the Transvaal.

"In the great attack on Ladysmith on 6th January 1900, the 1st King’s Royal Rifles were in the thick of the fight. The usual garrison of Waggon Hill was three companies of the battalion, among other reinforcements, four other companies reached the hill at 7 A.M., and all day long the fiercest fighting of the campaign surged about the crest and side of the hill until the final charge by the Devons, shortly after 5 P.M., cleared the ground. The losses of the battalion on the 6th were about 10 killed and 20 wounded. Three officers and 5 non-commissioned officers and men were mentioned in Sir George White’s despatch of 23rd March 1900."

THE KING’S ROYAL RIFLE CORPS. Extract taken from 'Our Regiments in South Africa' by John Stirling published by Naval and Military Press Ltd

Rifleman Burgess died of enteric fever (typhoid) at 4 Stationary Hospital, Newcastle, Natal. Age: unknown. His medal card shows that he was eligible for clasps for the Transvaal and  Laings Nek. From his will, we know he had a sister but no other details are available about his family.