Francis David Millet Brown
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant-Colonel Francis David Millet Brown VC
(7 August 1837 – 21 November 1895) was an Irish
recipient of the Victoria Cross
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
and Commonwealth
forces.
, India
. He was educated at Grosvenor College, Bath. He was educated from 1852 to 1854 by a private tutor, Brisco Morland Gane, late curate
of Honiton
.
He was 20 years old, and a lieutenant
in the 1st European Bengal Fusiliers (later The Royal Munster Fusiliers) during the Indian Mutiny when the following deed, on 16 November 1857 at Narnoul, India
for which Brown was awarded the Victoria Cross:
He was again promoted, this time to Captain 23 August 1864. He returned to the army as Major
on 7 December 1875. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel
8 December 1881. He was Presented to Queen Victoria at a Levee
at St James' Palace on 24 April 1860. He later achieved the rank of colonel
.
. He married Jessie Rhind Russel. Her date of birth is unknown. They had the following children:
Brown married Jessie Doris Childs after the death of his first wife. Brown died on 21 November 1895 in Sandown
, Isle of Wight
and was buried in Winchester Cemetery, after a service at Winchester Cathedral
.
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
(7 August 1837 – 21 November 1895) was an Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces.
Details
Brown was born on 7 August 1837 in BhagalpurBhagalpur
Bhagdattpuram was one of the most influential towns in "Aryavarta" . It is supposed to have been concurrent to Patliputra or Patna. Bhagdattpuram finds its mention in the Vedas and Ramayana as well. It is supposed to be the kingdom of Daanvir Karna, the son of Kunti and the Sun God...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He was educated at Grosvenor College, Bath. He was educated from 1852 to 1854 by a private tutor, Brisco Morland Gane, late curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
of Honiton
Honiton
Honiton is a town and civil parish in East Devon, situated close to the River Otter, north east of Exeter in the county of Devon. The town's name is pronounced in two ways, and , each pronunciation having its adherents...
.
He was 20 years old, and a lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in the 1st European Bengal Fusiliers (later The Royal Munster Fusiliers) during the Indian Mutiny when the following deed, on 16 November 1857 at Narnoul, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
for which Brown was awarded the Victoria Cross:
He was again promoted, this time to Captain 23 August 1864. He returned to the army as Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
on 7 December 1875. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
8 December 1881. He was Presented to Queen Victoria at a Levee
Levee (event)
The levée is a New Year's Day social event hosted by the Governor General of Canada, the lieutenant governors, military establishments, municipalities and other institutions.- History :The word levée The levée is a New Year's Day social event hosted by the Governor General of Canada, the lieutenant...
at St James' Palace on 24 April 1860. He later achieved the rank of colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
.
Personal life
Between 1868 and 1873 Brown was employed as Assistant Principal of Thomason Civil Engineering College, RoorkeeRoorkee
Roorkee is a city and seat of a municipal council in Uttarakhand, in far northern India. It is located on the banks of the Ganges canal on the national highway between Delhi and Dehradun. Roorkee is known for Roorkee Cantonment, one of the country's oldest cantonments, and the headquarters of...
. He married Jessie Rhind Russel. Her date of birth is unknown. They had the following children:
- Frank Russell Brown (24 March 1872-3 April 1900). Frank was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant, Royal Munster Fusiliers. He was made a Lieutenant 1 August 1895.
- Claude Russell Brown (born 11 April 1873). Claude was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant, Royal EngineersRoyal EngineersThe Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
22 July 1892. He was made a Lieutenant 22 July 1895.
Brown married Jessie Doris Childs after the death of his first wife. Brown died on 21 November 1895 in Sandown
Sandown
Sandown is a seaside resort town and civil parish on the southeast coast of the Isle of Wight, England, neighbouring the town of Shanklin to the south. Sandown Bay is the name of the bay off the English Channel which both towns share, and it is notable for its long stretch of easily accessible...
, Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
and was buried in Winchester Cemetery, after a service at Winchester Cathedral
Winchester Cathedral
Winchester Cathedral at Winchester in Hampshire is one of the largest cathedrals in England, with the longest nave and overall length of any Gothic cathedral in Europe...
.
External links
- Location of grave and VC medal (Hampshire)