Burton was commissioned into the
Royal Artillery on 9 March 1875. He saw action in South Africa during the
Second Boer War, for which he was appointed a
Companion of the Order of the Bath. He went on to become Commander, Royal Artillery for
1st Division in September 1907 and General Officer Commanding the
Northumbrian Division in the United Kingdom in March 1912. He handed over command of his division and retired just before the division was deployed to France in April 1915. He was appointed a
Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in recognition of his services in connection with the
First World War on 24 January 1917. ==References==