"LUCKY BURNHAM"

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 271, 15 November 1943, Page 2

"LUCKY BURNHAM"

_— •— ' — SCOUT AND SOLDIER SUGGESTED NAME FOB PLANE (0.C.) SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 4. A movement is afoot in California to have some bomber bound for Britain named the Lucky Burnham, in honour of Major Frederick Burnham, California's greatest living scout and soldier- of fortune —or maybe one bound for Africa would do as well. General Eisenhower and General Mac Arthur are not the first Americans to command British soldiers. Major Burnham, after becoming noted as an Indian scout in this country, went to Africa in the '90's and so distinguished himself in the Matabele War that Queen Victoria personally honoured him and he was given a great grant of land by the British Government, on which he found buried treasure. Then in the Boer War Lord Roberts cabled him a request to return to Africa and command the British scout forces in the field, and he was the first American to be decorated with the British Medal for Distinguished Service. Nearly every boy scout in America has been thrilled by his "Scouting c?n Two Continents," and it is due to his suggestion that Ranger Scouts now are to be taught the lore of Indian scouts. He was a great admirer of Lord Baden-Powell, originator of the boy scouts during the Boer War. A few days ago Major Burnham received letters of thanks from two United States Army generals for notes on desert and jungle fighting which he wrote for the U.S. Army. Major Burnham has been lucky all his life or he would not be alive and active in California to-day. He has served America, Britain and Africa with distinction, and any plane as lucky as he is could go right in and get Hitler and come out with only a few scratches, said one of his Californian admirers. _ 4 f S w ears ago when Lord Baden-Powell came to San Francisco to attend a world gathering of boy scouts, Major Burnham was on hand to welcome "8.P."