GeneralSir Henry Brackenbury,GCB,KCSI,PC(1 September 1837 – 20 April 1914) was aBritish Armyofficer who was assistant toGarnet Wolseleyin the 1870s and became part of his 'Ring' of loyal officers. He also wrote several books of military history and memoirs.
GeneralThe Right Honourable Sir Henry Brackenbury | |
|---|---|
 Portrait of Henry Brackenbury, by F. B. Ciolina, 1904 | |
| Born | 1 September 1837 Bolingbroke,Lincolnshire,England |
| Died | 20 April 1914(aged 76) Nice,France |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service |  British Army |
| Years of service | 1856–1904 |
| Rank | General |
| Battles / wars | Central Indian Campaign |
| Awards | Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India |
Life and career
editHenry Brackenbury was born inBolingbroke, Lincolnshireon 1 September 1837[1]and was a younger brother ofCharles Booth Brackenbury.[2]Henry was educated atTonbridge SchoolandEton,then at theRoyal Military Academy, Woolwich.[1]He joined theBritish Armyin 1856, served in theCentral Indian Campaignin 1857–58 and observed theFranco-Prussian Warin 1870–71.[1]
After making Wolseley's acquaintance, Brackenbury offered to join hisAshanti Campaign(1873–74) at which time he became part of theWolseley ring,and later acted as his military secretary in theZulu Warof 1879–80.[1]Wolseley thought highly of his talents and helped advance his career. However, Brackenbury was unpopular with other colleagues and with Lady Wolseley.
He became Private Secretary to theViceroy of Indiain 1880, acted as BritishMilitary attachéinParisbetween 1881 and 1882, and then became assistant Under-Secretary to theLord Lieutenant of Ireland.[1]He had a senior role in theRiver ColumninEgyptin 1884–85.[1]
He was promoted tomajor generalfor distinguished service in the field, then becamedirector of Military Intelligencein 1886.[1]From 1891 he was a member of the Council of the Viceroy of India, and in 1896 became president of theWar OfficeOrdnance Committeeuntil 1899. He was madecolonel commandantof the Royal Artillery in 1897, and promoted to the rank of a fullgeneralon 26 September 1901.[1][3]
He was appointed Director-General of Ordnance in 1899, and as such was responsible for army ordnance (including the reserves of arms, ammunitions, clothing and other equipment) throughout theSecond Boer War,which took place inSouth Africafrom October 1899 to June 1902. For his service during the war, he was promoted to a Knight Grand Cross of theOrder of the Bath(GCB) in the April 1901 South African War honours list.[4]Following the end of the war, he gave evidence to the Elgin Commission on the conduct of the war.[5]
Towards the end of his career Brackenbury was a patron ofRobertsonand helped arrange his appointment to do intelligence work at the War Office.[6]
Brackenbury retired in 1904 and was made aPrivy Councillor. His married first in 1861 Emilia Halswell (who died in 1905, when they had long been separated), and secondly in 1905 Edith Desanges.[1]He died on 20 April 1914 inNice,France.[1]
Sir Henry Brackenbury Road, built on the formerJoint Services School of Intelligencesite inAshford, Kent,is named after him.
Decorations
editMost Honourable Order of the Bath
- Companion, CB 1880
- Knight Commander, KCB 1894
- Knight Grand Cross, GCB, 29 November 1900,in recognition of services in connection with the Campaign in South Africa 1899-1900[4]
- Knight Commander, KCSI 1896for service as Member of Council in India
Publications
edit- The Last Campaign of Hanover,1870
- The Tactics of the Three Arms,1873
- Narrative of the Ashantee War(2 vol.) 1874
- The River Column,1885
- Some Memories of My Spare Time,1909
See also
editReferences
edit- ^abcdefghijHenry Brackenbury at Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
- ^Lee, Sidney (1901).Dictionary of National Biography sup vol 1 Abbot-Childers.London: Elder Smith & Co.
- ^"No. 27409".The London Gazette.21 February 1902. p. 1120.
- ^ab"No. 27306".The London Gazette.19 April 1901. p. 2695.
- ^"The War Commission".The Times.No. 36905. London. 22 October 1902. p. 5.
- ^Woodward 1998, p3
Sources
edit- Woodward, David R (1998).Field Marshal Sir William Robertson.Westport Connecticut & London: Praeger.ISBN0-275-95422-6.
Further reading
edit- Harvie, Ian (March 1999).A Very Dangerous Man – a Profile of Sir Henry Brackenbury.Soldiers of the Queen (Journal of the Victorian Military Society).