Tom Brown (hero)
Encyclopedia
Sir
Thomas Brown (1705–1746) was born in Kirkleatham
, in present day Redcar and Cleveland
, England
. He was a hero
of the Battle of Dettingen
, in Bavaria during the War of the Austrian Succession
. It was the last time that a British monarch (in this case George II
) personally led his troops into battle. Brown fought as a private soldier in Bland's Hussars
. He had two horse
s killed under him, and had lost two fingers from his left hand, but when the regiment's standard was captured he galloped into the thickest of fighting and recovered it, receiving eight cuts in his face, head, and neck, as well as two bullets in his back and a cut across his forehead that went down to his right eyebrow. He also had his nose cut off. On the battlefield he was knight
ed as a Knight banneret
by King George II
, becoming the last man to be so honoured.
Brown died in Yarm
in 1746 and is buried there in the churchyard of St Mary Magdalene's church. His grave can still be seen and has a marker which is similar in style to those of later war graves.
Sir
Sir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...
Thomas Brown (1705–1746) was born in Kirkleatham
Kirkleatham
Kirkleatham is a village in the borough of Redcar and Cleveland and the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England. It is located approximately north/northwest of Guisborough, and south of Redcar. It is near the mouth of the River Tees...
, in present day Redcar and Cleveland
Redcar and Cleveland
The borough of Redcar & Cleveland is a unitary authority in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England consisting of Redcar, Saltburn-by-the-Sea, Guisborough, and small towns such as Brotton, Eston, Skelton and Loftus. It had a resident population of 139,132 in 2001, and is part of the Tees...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He was a hero
Hero
A hero , in Greek mythology and folklore, was originally a demigod, their cult being one of the most distinctive features of ancient Greek religion...
of the Battle of Dettingen
Battle of Dettingen
The Battle of Dettingen took place on 27 June 1743 at Dettingen in Bavaria during the War of the Austrian Succession. It was the last time that a British monarch personally led his troops into battle...
, in Bavaria during the War of the Austrian Succession
War of the Austrian Succession
The War of the Austrian Succession – including King George's War in North America, the Anglo-Spanish War of Jenkins' Ear, and two of the three Silesian wars – involved most of the powers of Europe over the question of Maria Theresa's succession to the realms of the House of Habsburg.The...
. It was the last time that a British monarch (in this case George II
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
) personally led his troops into battle. Brown fought as a private soldier in Bland's Hussars
3rd The King's Own Hussars
The 3rd Hussars was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, first raised in 1685. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated into The Queen's Own Hussars in 1958.-The Glorious Revolution:...
. He had two horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
s killed under him, and had lost two fingers from his left hand, but when the regiment's standard was captured he galloped into the thickest of fighting and recovered it, receiving eight cuts in his face, head, and neck, as well as two bullets in his back and a cut across his forehead that went down to his right eyebrow. He also had his nose cut off. On the battlefield he was knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ed as a Knight banneret
Knight banneret
A knight banneret, sometimes known simply as banneret, was a Medieval knight who led a company of troops during time of war under his own banner and were eligible to bear supporters in English heraldry.The military rank of a knight banneret was...
by King George II
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
, becoming the last man to be so honoured.
Brown died in Yarm
Yarm
Yarm is a small town and civil parish in the borough of Stockton-on-Tees in North East England. It is on the south bank of the River Tees and for ceremonial purposes is in North Yorkshire...
in 1746 and is buried there in the churchyard of St Mary Magdalene's church. His grave can still be seen and has a marker which is similar in style to those of later war graves.