SILBURN, PERCY ARTHUR BAXTER,
Captain, was born 10 May 1876 son of A Silburn, of Durban, Natal. He was
educated privately, and joined the Cape Mounted Rifles in 1891; was present
at the annexation of
Pondoland, 1893; passed the School of Gunnery, 1898; returned to South
Africa on the outbreak of the Boer War, and served with Gough's composite
regiment in the Relief of Ladysmith. He served as Staff Officer to Generals
Sir John Dartnell and General Hamilton in the Transvaal and Orange River
Colony. For his services in this campaign he received the Queen's and
King's Medals with seven clasps; was mentioned in Despatches, and created a
Companion of the Distinguished Service Order [London Gazette, 26 June 1902]:
"Percy Arthur Baxter Silburn, Captain, Natal Volunteers. In recognition of
services during the operations in South Africa". The Insignia, etc, were
sent to the Commander-in-Chief, Natal District, South Africa, and presented
by the Governor of Natal at Durban 19 March 1903. He was Secretary of the
Natal Defence Commission in 1903, and retired in 1904. Major Silburn was
Chief Leader of the Militia Reserves in 1905. He was MLA for Alfred County,
Natal, from 1906 to 1909, and was Staff Officer and Gunnery Instructor,
Colonial Forces, Natal. He has been Member for Durban in the first Union
Parliament of South Africa from 1910. He wrote 'The Colonies and Imperial
Defence', 'The Governance of Empire' (1910), 'The Evolution of Sea-Power'
(1912). Major Silburn was a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, and
was made a CBE in 1918. He married, in 1901, Marie Antoinette, daughter of
J T Riley Hartley, of Maritzburg, Natal, and they had three sons and one
daughter.
