Captain Francis Henry Cavendish Burne was born in Calcutta in November 1870, the son of Colonel Sir Owen Burne, K.C.S.I., C.I.E., and was gazetted to the Royal Engineers as a 2nd Lieutenant in July 1889. Advanced to Lieutenant in July 1892, he was attached to No. 5 Company, Madras Sappers and Miners, during the operations on the North West Frontier of India between 1897-98, and was present with the Malakand Field Force at the relief of Chakdara, the action at Landakai and in the operations in Bajaur and Mohmand country. Afterwards attached to the Buner Field Force, he was present at the capture of Tanga Pass. Burne next witnessed active service in South Africa, where he arrived in March 1901, shortly after his advancement to Captain. Subsequently employed on operations in the Orange River Colony and Cape Colony, he returned to the U.K. on sick leave at the end of the year. He was placed on the Retired List in June 1908 and died in December 1945.