Field Marshal Sir John Fox BURGOYNE
(1782-1871)

Born on 24 July 1782, John Fox Burgoyne was educated at Eton, entered the Royal Military Academy in Woolwich in October 1796 and was commissioned into the Royal Engineers on 29 August 1798.

In 1800, he took part in the expedition to the Mediterranean and was actively involved in the blockade and subsequent capture of Malta which, after stubborn French resistance, placed this important citadel in British hands.

Actions in Sicily and Egypt between 1805 and 1807 brought him a mention in despatches and enhanced a growing reputation for ability, zeal and professional skill. A return to Sicily, under Sir John Moore, was followed by a transfer to Portugal in 1808 for the entire campaign in the Peninsula.

During the retreat to Lisbon, as the French army advanced, his skills and judgement were illustrated when he was responsible for the demolition of two bridges. Timing was vital, as was coolness, nerve and professional skill ; both operations were completely successful.

He next joined Sir Arthur Wellesley in Spain and was involved in every siege and major battle throughout the Peninsular war. Sieges offered limited scope for true military engineering and were usually ended by frontal assaults, but his reputation continued to grow and he was highly thought of.

Only a few months after the end of the Peninsular war, Burgoyne participated as Commanding Engineer in the attack on New Orleans and at the close of hostilities in America returned to England in 1815. He was disappointed when not sent to the Netherlands but by the time he had managed to have this decision reversed, he arrived there too late for the battle of Waterloo.

From 1815 to 1818 he was Commanding Royal Engineer in the army of occupation in France, followed by eight years as Chief Royal Engineer (CRE) of the Medway District. In 1826, Burgoyne was appointed Commanding Engineer of a force sent to Portugal to deter a possible Spanish invasion. Nothing came of this threat and he returned home in 1828.

This led to an appointment as CRE Portsmouth, a post which he held for three years. In February 1831 he visited Brighton where he met King William IV who sought his advice on various aspects of the defences and fortifications on the south coast. In 1831 he was offered, and accepted, the post of Chairman of a Board of Public Works to be established in Ireland, an appointment which he held for some fourteen years.

However, although a civilian post, he managed to retain his military seniority and in 1845 was appointed Inspector General of Fortifications. His strong report to the Duke of Wellington on the inadequacies of British coastal defences produced positive results and funds were voted by Parliament for making good the deficiencies and omissions of previous years.

1847 saw Burgoyne back in Ireland with a brief to organise and conduct the Commission for the relief of the distress being caused by the famine. Clearly, he had great aptitude for this type of project and willingly became involved in others, despite the fact that none offered the same sort of challenge as had the many sieges and military operations in which he had been involved over the years.

When, in the winter of 1853/1854, it became evident that Russia posed a threat to the peace of Europe, he was sent to Constantinople to report on the measures he considered necessary for the defence of that area. By now he was 71, an astonishing age for such a task, but another clear indication of the respect which he commanded in government circles.

Despite his age, however, he was appointed Lieutenant General on the staff of the Army in the East and was fully involved in the strategies and operational planning of the opening phases of the Crimean war. Lord Raglan acknowledged freely just how much he was indebted to Burgoyne for the advice and assistance given at the battle of the Alma. The same happened at Inkerman and Lord Raglan proposed his promotion to General.

However, he was recalled to England before the end of the Crimea conflict and did not receive as much credit for his contribution as he might have done had he been allowed to stay.

Having been Knighted (KCB) in 1838, Burgoyne was offered a GCB in 1852. However, despite having served the Crown for 54 years - and by now aged 70 - he felt that he just could not afford the expense which this honour would involve, without diluting his wife's future pension, assuming that she outlived him. He was anxious not to show disrespect for the Crown but declined the honour. Nevertheless, his point was well taken, adjustments were made and the honour was subsequently accepted.

Following the fall of Sebastopol, Burgoyne's promotion to General was confirmed and he was created a Baronet. He was also appointed Colonel Commandant of the Royal Engineers. Various other honours and awards, both British and foreign, followed. Queen Victoria appointed him a Field Marshal in 1868 and the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of London awarded him the Freedom of the City in a casket of gold.

In 1865 he had been appointed Constable of the Tower of London and in 1868, on his retirement as Director General of Fortifications, he was granted a pension of £1500 per year.

He was 86 and he still enjoyed good health but two years later tragedy struck. His only son, Captain HT Burgoyne, Royal Navy, one of the first recipients of the Victoria Cross, died at sea in 1870. His death, without issue, ultimately caused his fathers title to become extinct.

Field Marshal Sir John Burgoyne never recovered from this terrible loss and died peacefully on 7 October 1871, aged 89.