Cecil Burney

Admiral of the Fleet Sir Cecil Burney, 1st Baronet, (15 May 1858 – 5 June 1929) was a Royal Navy officer. After seeing action as a junior office in naval brigades during both the Anglo-Egyptian War and the Mahdist War, he commanded a cruiser in operational service during the Second Boer War. As a flag officer he commanded the Plymouth Division of the Home Fleet, the 5th Cruiser Squadron, the Atlantic Fleet and then the 3rd Battle Squadron. In April 1913 Montenegro seized control of Scutari in the latest round of hostilities between the Ottoman Empire and Montenegro during the closing stages of the First Balkan War. In April 1913 Burney was sent as temporary Second-in-Command of the Mediterranean Fleet to Antivari on the coast of Montenegro to take command of the international naval force despatched to deal with this situation. On arrival he blockaded Antivari and then also commanded the international force occupying Scutari as part of its transition to Albanian control. He was well rewarded with honours for the success of this mission. On the outbreak of the First World War Burney became Vice-Admiral Commanding the Channel Fleet. In that role he ensured the safe passage of the British Expeditionary Force to France. He went on to be commander of the 1st Battle Squadron commanding the squadron at the Battle of Jutland in May 1916, where his flagship was the first ship to engage the Germans but was later torpedoed. He was appointed Second Sea Lord in November 1916 but removed on the grounds of his age in September 1917 and appointed Commander-in-Chief, Coast of Scotland instead. He went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth after the War. Early years The son of Captain Charles Burney RN and Catherine Elizabeth Burney (née Jones), Burney was born in Saint Saviour, Jersey. He was educated at Burney's Royal Naval Academy, Gosport and then joined the Royal Navy as a cadet in the training ship HMS Britannia in July 1871. Promoted midshipman in October 1873, he was assigned to the battleship , flagship of the Pacific Station and, after promotion to sub-lieutenant on 18 October 1877, he transferred to the troopship in January 1879. He joined the Royal Yacht HMY Victoria and Albert in June 1879 and was promoted lieutenant on 30 August 1879.