Part 25

=BRABAZON, HON. ERNEST WILLIAM MAITLAND MOLYNEUX=, =D.S.O.=, Staff Capt., 3rd Battn. Coldstream Guards, 4th and yst. _s._ of Reginald, 12th Earl of Meath, P.C., K.P., by his wife, Lady Mary Jane Maitland, only surviving dau. of Thomas, 11th Earl of Lauderdale, G.C.B.; _b._ Richmond, co. Surrey, 22 March, 1884; educ. Dover College and Sandhurst; gazetted 2nd Lieut. 2nd Battn. Coldstream Guards, 9 Jan. 1904, promoted Lieut. 5 Sept. 1906, and Capt. 3rd Battn. 4 April, 1912. On the outbreak of war he went to the front with his regt., was attached to the Staff, and was killed in action near La Bassée, 17 June, 1915. He was buried in Cambrin Cemetery, near where he fell. Capt. Brabazon was mentioned in F.M. Sir John French’s Despatch [London Gazette, 1 Dec. 1914], in the following terms: “Has shown conspicuous efficiency in Staff duties and in keeping up communication with a long line of front composed of many units, where communication was often difficult. He has carried and delivered messages under fire with promptness and dispatch.” For these services he received the D.S.O. Lord Cavan, commanding the Guards’ Brigade, wrote: “We simply loved him. I can never tell you what he was to me, not only as a Staff Officer but as a friend. He was priceless, invaluable and never wearying in his work for the Brigade.” And Col. J. R. Drummond Hay, commanding Coldstream Guards: “By his death the Army, as well as the regt., has lost heavily.” He was keen on musketry and sport and a good shot. He _m._ at the Guards’ Chapel, Wellington Barracks, S.W., 29 Oct. 1912, Dorothy Mary, yst. dau. of Col. Horace Ricardo, of Bramley Park, Surrey, C.V.O.; _s.p._ His three brothers are now (1916) on active service: Col. Lord Ardee, C.B., in command of the 1st Battn. Irish Guards, has been wounded; Capt. the Hon. Arthur Brabazon, on special service in Egypt; and Major the Hon. Claud Brabazon, of the Irish Guards, now in the Royal Flying Corps.

=BRABROOK, ARTHUR HENRY=, Sergt., 1/3rd Battn. (Royal Fusiliers) City of London Regt. (T.F.), 2nd _s._ of Frederick Joseph Brabrook, of Bury St. Edmunds, Fish Merchant, by his wife, Emma; _b._ Bury St. Edmunds, 18 Jan. 1879; educ. St. John’s Church School. He joined the 18th Middlesex V.R.C. (Paddington Rifles) in 1904, which became the 10th Battn. of the London Territorials. He became Colour-Sergt. of D Coy. in 1912, in which year the battn. was disbanded and transferred to Hackney. This was too far away, so with his Capt. (now Major Prance) and other men he formed a Paddington Coy., attached to the 3rd Battn. of the London Regt., and received the rank of L.-Sergt. He went through the School of Instruction at Chelsea and received a certificate and was promoted Sergt. When the battn. was mobilised in Aug. 1914 they were sent to guard railway stations for a month, and he was stationed at Arlesford with his section. On 4 Sept. 1914, he sailed for Malta, and after Christmas went to France, and served through the Battles of Neuve Chapelle and La Bassée, where he had a narrow escape, a shell bursting, knocking him down and burying him under some bricks. He died 10 May, 1915, of wounds received at Festubert, and was buried in Bethune Cemetery. Capt. C. E. Rochford wrote: “He was killed through a shell bursting while advancing in an attack on a German trench. He has been with me ever since we left England, so I knew him well. He was a splendid man and a splendid soldier.” He _m._ at. North Kensington, 5 Sept. 1908, Clara Louisa (322, Ladbroke Grove, W.), 2nd dau. of Robert Wollington, of Ladbroke Grove, W., Builder, and had two children: Ralph Robert Arthur, _b._ 15 March. 1914; and Beatrice Caroline, _b._ 23 Sept. 1909.

=BRACEY, HUMPHREY ALFRED=, L.-Corpl., No. 1768, 21st Battn. (1st Surrey Rifles) The London Regt. (T.F.); _b._ Stoke Newington, 6 Sept. 1891; elder _s._ of Alfred Bracey, of Ashcroft, 30 Seymour Gardens, Ilford, by his wife, Bertha, dau. of William James Hagger, _b._ ....; educ. Grocer’s Company School, Hackney Downs, and County High School, Ilford, and was in the employ of Parrs’ Bank when war broke out. He enlisted in the 1st Surrey Rifles, 8 Aug. 1914, went to the front 15 March, 1915, and was killed in action at Festubert, 25–26 May, 1915; _unm._ His commanding officer, Capt. A. Hutchinson, wrote that he was exceptionally popular with all ranks and that he, personally, regretted the “loss of a very promising and fearless N.C.O.” And “Parrs’ Bank Magazine,” in recording his death, said: “At the outbreak of war he was one of the first to offer his services to his country. In the departments in which he was formerly employed, he was ever ready to assist his colleagues, and was a most generous and jovial companion. His absence will be especially noticed on balance nights, settling days, &c., when the heavy work was much lightened by his ready wit and humour. He was also well known in the rifle section of the Sports Club, where he was one of the best shots.”

=BRACHER, GEORGE=, Private, No. 9139, 2nd Battn. Coldstream Guards, _s._ of Matthias Bracher of Gerrards Farm, Favant, near Salisbury; _b._ co. Wilts; served with the Expeditionary Force in France, etc.; killed in action at Rentel, 12 Nov. 1914; _unm._

=BRACKEN, JOHN=, Private, No. G. 773, 8th (Service) Battn. Royal West Surrey Regt.; served with the Expeditionary Force in France, etc.; killed in action, 26 Sept. 1915; _m._

=BRACKSTONE, HENRY=, Corpl., No. 7248, 1st Battn. East Surrey Regt.; served with the Expeditionary Force in France, etc.; killed in action, 20 April, 1915; _m._

=BRADBURY, EDWARD CHAPNESS=, Private, No. 9409, 2nd Battn. Coldstream Guards, 2nd _s._ of Samuel Bradbury, of 65, Queen Street, Palfrey, Walsall, by his wife, Annie, dau. of William Baker; _b._ Walsall, 18 Dec. 1893; educ. Palfrey School, Walsall, and on leaving there was employed by Neville Bros. as a Portmanteau Lock Maker. He enlisted 18 Jan. 1911, and three months before war was declared was transferred to the 2nd Life Guards, but then transferred back to his old regt., and was killed in action by a shell in an attack on a farmhouse, 16 Nov. 1914; _unm._

=BRADBURY, EDWARD KINDER, V.C.=, Capt., L Battery, Royal Horse Artillery, only _s._ of the late Judge James Kinder Bradbury, J.P., Fellow of Caius College, Cambridge, by his wife, Grace (Parkfield, Altrincham, Cheshire), dau. of the Rev. Edward Dowling; _b._ Bowden, co. Chester, 16 Aug. 1881; educ. St. Ninian’s, Moffat, Marlborough College and Woolwich; gazetted to the Royal Field Artillery, 2 May, 1900, and promoted Lieut. 3 April, 1901, and Capt. 4 Feb. 1910. He joined the 125th Battery in Ireland, and in the later stages of the South African War obtained a commission in Fincastle’s Horse, with which he served on active service, obtaining the Queen’s medal with two clasps. After the close of that campaign he returned to Ireland, but in 1905 went to Uganda, and served with the 4th Battn. of the King’s African Rifles till Aug. 1906, when he was invalided home after severe fever. Coming home, he was transferred to the R.H.A., and on the outbreak of war went to France with the Expeditionary Force. At Néry, near Compiegne, on the last day of the retreat from Mons (1 Sept. 1914), L Battery, while covering the retreat, was attacked by a strong German force with ten field guns and two Maxims. Three British guns were brought into action, but two were quickly silenced. Capt. Bradbury and his men served the remaining gun so well, however, that all but one of the German guns were silenced; and when L Battery was relieved this gun was captured. “Bradbury,” writes an artillery officer, recounting this story, “was the real hero. He got the gun into action and gave the orders. Mundy knelt on one side and did ranging officer, and Brad., Campbell and Giffard, with the Battery Sergt.-Major, Gunner and Driver, served the gun. Brad. had one leg taken off above the knee, but still went on; Campbell ... was killed; Mundy was hit in both legs; the Major, coming back hastily, was hit in the throat as he arrived. Bradbury had his other leg taken off. Giffard was badly wounded, and still they kept the last gun firing, and when I Battery and the other Brigade came up they found that the Germans had left their guns and bolted.” Capt. Bradbury, who was _unm._, was buried in the cemetery at Néry. He was mentioned in F.M. Sir John (now Lord) French’s Despatch of 7 Sept. [London Gazette, 19 Oct. 1914], and was awarded the Victoria Cross “For gallantry and ability in organising the defence of L Battery against heavy odds at Néry on 1 Sept.” A General wrote: “Your son was simply beloved by us all from me, his General, down to the last joined subaltern. He was very nearly four years under my command, and I looked upon him as one of the most brilliant officers I had ever come across, one who, had God willed it, had a great career in front of him, and the manner in which he met his death fighting a single gun to the end after the loss of one leg was worthy of him.”

=BRADDOCK, ARTHUR LESLIE=, Assistant Paymaster, R.N.R., H.M.S. Cressy, _s._ of William Braddock, of Sydney, New South Wales, Chartered Accountant, by his wife, Alice, dau. of (--) Norman, Dental Surgeon; _b._ Adelaide, South Australia, 22 Feb. 1877; educ. Adelaide; joined the Royal Naval Reserve, Jan. 1908, and was appointed Assistant Paymaster, 3 Feb. 1911, with seniority of 30 Jan. 1908. He was appointed to the Cressy 1 Aug. 1914, and was lost when that ship was torpedoed in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914. He _m._ at Liverpool, 15 July, 1912, Jeannie Scott (19, Huskisson Street, Liverpool), dau. of the late Capt. William Henry Burt; _s.p._

=BRADDOCK, HARRY=, Stoker, 1st Class, K. 13669 (Ports.), H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=BRADFORD, ARTHUR JESSE GEORGE=, L.-Corpl., No. 766, B Coy., 16th Battn. Australian Imperial Force, elder _s._ of the late Arthur Jesse Bradford, of Clapton, N.E., by his wife, Gabriella (now a nurse, of 106, Valkyrie Road, Westcliffe-on-Sea), dau. of Jesse Witts, of Gloucester; _b._ Plaistow, co. Essex, 14 Nov. 1895; educ. London Orphan School, Watford; joined the (Temperley & Co.) Merchant Service when 16; then settled in Bunbury, Western Australia (1913), and when war broke out was in the Bush, engaged in the lumber trade. He immediately volunteered; left for Egypt with the Second Reinforcements in Dec. 1914; took part in the landing at the Dardanelles, 25 April, 1915, and was killed in action there the same day; _unm._ His yr. brother, Edward Lionel Bradford, L.-Corpl., No. 142397, No. 1 Co., R.E. (Signal Service), is now (1916) on active service.

=BRADFORD, SIR EVELYN RIDLEY=, 2nd Bt., Lieut.-Col. 2nd Seaforth Highlanders, eldest _s._ of Sir Edward Ridley Colborne Bradford, 1st Bt., some time (1890–1903) Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, and an extra Equerry to His Majesty the King, by his 1st wife, Elizabeth Adela, dau. of Edward Knight, of Chanton House, Alton; _b._ India, 16 April, 1869; educ. Eton and Sandhurst; gazetted 2nd Lieut. 22 Aug. 1888, and promoted Lieut. 11 June, 1890, Capt. 3 July 1895, Major 26 June, 1902, Brevet Lieut.-Col. 10 May, 1913, and Lieut.-Col. 10 June, 1913. He served with the Soudan Expedition in 1898, being present at the Battles of the Atbara and Khartoum, and on the staff in the South African War, 1899–1902. He took part in the operations in the Orange Free State from May to 29 Nov. 1900, including actions at Poplar Grove, and Driefontein, and Witteberjer (1–29 July), and during the operations in Cape Colony, Feb.-March, 1901. His services were twice mentioned in Despatches [London Gazette, 7 May and 10 Sept. 1901], and in addition to the Queen’s medal with four clasps and the King’s medal with two clasps, he received his brevet majority and was placed on the list of officers considered qualified for staff employment in consequence of service on the Staff in the field. At the time of the outbreak of the European War he was in command of the 2nd Battn. of the Seaforths, the old 78th, and took them out from Shorncliffe in Brig.-Gen. J. A. L. Haldane’s 10th Infantry Brigade, which was brought up from the lines of communication in France to cover the retirement of the Expeditionary Force on Cambray. This duty was performed in the centre of the line by Major-Gen. Snow’s 4th Division, consisting of the 10th, 11th and 12th Infantry Brigades. These units broke the front of the German pursuit, and suffered in consequence. as the 1st and 2nd Army Corps fell back. He was killed in action at the Battle of the Aisne, 14 Sept. 1914, and was buried at Bucy Le Long, near Soissons. Sir Edward Bradford was a famous cricketer and played many fine games for Hampshire and the Army with Major Poore and Capt Wynyard, of the Staff College, as contemporaries, the last time he played in the County Eleven being against Surrey, at Aldershot, in 1902. He _m._ at Colgate, Faygate, Sussex, 25 Nov. 1909, Elsie Clifton, 3rd dau. of Col. James Clifton Brown, and had three children: Sir Edward Montagu Andrew, now 3rd Bt., _b._ 30 Nov. 1910; Ridley Lewkenor, _b._ 11 April, 1912, and Donald Clifton, _b._ 22 May, 1914.

=BRADFORD, GEORGE RICHARD=, 2nd Engineer, No. 773, H.M. trawler Tern, _s._ of William Bradford, Labourer; _b._ 1878; was lost in the trawler Tern off the west coast of Scotland, 23 Feb. 1915, while mine sweeping. He _m._ at Hull, 28 June, 1898, Alice Edith (78, Day Street, Hessle Road, Hull), dau. of Robert Dibnah, Lamplighter, and had two sons, George Thomas, _b._ 16 Feb. 1904, and Charles Henry, _b._ 5 April, 1912.

=BRADLEY, ERIC JATINGA=, Private, No. 140, 5th Battn. (London Rifle Brigade) The London Regt., eldest _s._ of James Bradley, of Grovehill, Suckley, co. Worcester, Tea Planter; _b._ London, 28 June, 1892; educ. Rottingdean, Rugby and Pembroke College Cambridge (Honours); entered at the Inner Temple, but on the outbreak of war at once enlisted; he proceeded with his battn. to France 4 Nov., and was mortally wounded with four others in the early morning of 5 Dec. by shrapnel, which burst on the parapet of the trench. He died the same day at No. 2 Clearing Hospital, Bailleul, being buried in the cemetery there (No. 149); _unm._

=BRADLEY, REGINALD JOHN=, Private, R.M.L.I., Ch./17049, H.M.S. Hawke; lost in action in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914.

=BRADLEY, THOMAS=, Trooper, No. 13/296, Auckland Mounted Rifles, New Zealand Expeditionary Force, _s._ of Benjamin Bradley, of Christchurch, formerly of co. Lincoln; _b._ Papains, Christchurch, New Zealand, 16 June, 1884; educ. Christchurch High School; joined the Mounted Rifles, 10 July, 1914; went to the Dardanelles in May, and was killed in a night attack at Gaba Tepe, Gallipoli, 19 May, 1915; _unm._ He was buried on Walker’s Ridge there.

=BRADSHAW, FRANK SEYMOUR=, Capt., 1st Battn. Prince Albert’s Somerset L.I. (the old 13th), only _s._ of the late Major Frank Boyd Bradshaw (13th Somerset L.I.), by his wife, Catherine Douglas, dau. of Capt. Loftus Nunn, late 99th Regt., and great-grandson of Gen. Lawrence Bradshaw, some time commanding 13th L.I.; _b._ Weston-super-Mare, co. Somerset, 4 Dec. 1883; educ. East Sheen, Harrow and Sandhurst; gazetted 2nd Lieut. 23 Jan. 1904, and promoted Lieut. 12 June, 1906, and Capt. Nov. 1914. He was killed in action at Ploegsteert Wood, 19 Dec. 1914, and was buried near Somerset House there; _unm._ One of Capt. Bradshaw’s men wrote: “His death is much regretted by the whole company, because they could always trust him. He would never send his men where he would not go himself. He was an exceptionally brave man, and knew his work, and it will be very difficult to find his equal.”

=BRADSHAW, GEORGE RAMSON=, Stoker, 1st Class, E. 12797 (Ports.), H.M.S. Hogue; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=BRADSHAW, MATTHEW=, Private, R.M.L.I., Ch./12547, H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=BRADY, EDMUND=, L.-Corpl., No. 9118, 2nd Battn. The Royal Scots, 3rd _s._ of Patrick Brady, of 102, Waterloo Street, Crumpsall, Manchester, Labourer, by his wife, Anne; _b._ Miles Platting, Manchester, 2 Sept. 1881; educ. St. Edmund’s R.C. School there; enlisted 9 Dec. 1904, and served eight years in India, winning a silver spoon for shooting. An attendant at the Crumpsall Workhouse when war was declared, he was called up, and was killed instantaneously in action, during the advance at Loos, 25 Sept. 1915, being struck in the forehead by a bullet; _unm._

=BRAIK, JOHN=, Sergt., No. 22961, 12th, later 4th, Battn. Canadian Expeditionary Force, _s._ of the late Adam Braik, of Kemnay, co. Aberdeen, Mill Owner, by his wife, Helen, dau. of John Ingram; _b._ Garthy, co. Aberdeen, 5 Oct. 1868; educ. Kemnay Public School, and was a mill owner. He joined the 4th Volunteer Battn. of the Gordon Highlanders in 1880, and obtained a commission in the same in 1896. On the outbreak of the South African War he enlisted as a Private in the 2nd Scottish Horse and served through the latter part of that campaign, receiving the medal. He was subsequently attached to the R.G.A. as Instructor of Military Signalling, and was shooting in the wilds of British Columbia when the European War began. He immediately hastened several hundred miles through the North-West to the nearest recruiting office and volunteered for service. He was offered a commission in the second contingent, but declined to wait, and was one of the last recruits entered for the first contingent, and came over with them in Oct., crossing to France in Feb. He subsequently returned to England to convey machine guns to the Front, and was given charge of one on his return. He was seriously wounded 18 June, 1915, by a shrapnel shell which burst above his gun, and was invalided to England, where he died in the Royal Herbert Hospital, Woolwich, 5 Aug. following. He was buried in Heroes Corner, Greenwich Cemetery.

=BRAITHWAITE, JOSEPH=, Stoker (Native), H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in the action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=BRAMALL, HORACE=, Acting E.R.A., 4th Class, M. 7357, H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=BRAMLEY, HAROLD=, 2nd Lieut., 2/5th King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (T.F.), previously L.-Corpl. (C Squad.) Leicestershire Yeomanry, 2nd _s._ of the Rev. Cyril Richard Bramley, M.A. (Oxon.), Vicar of St. John’s, Donisthorpe with Moira (St. Hilda); _b._ Manchester, 9 Feb. 1894; educ. St. John’s School, Leatherhead, 1904; devoted himself to farming, and after a two years’ course on a farm in Snarestone, went to Canada for nine months to see the conditions of farming there; returning in Dec. 1913, he went to Kidlington, near Oxford, to take charge of a farm, but on the outbreak of war immediately rejoined the Leicestershire Yeomanry (in which he had been 1911–12); went with them to the Front in Nov. 1914, was in several engagements, being promoted L.-Corpl. Feb. 1915, and 2nd Lieut. a week before he was killed in action near Ypres, 13 May, 1915; _unm._

=BRAND, ERNEST STANLEY=, Capt., Royal Fusiliers, attd. West African Rifles, _s._ of William Burmann Brand, of 19, Linzee Road, Hornsey, N.; _b._ Stoke Newington, 3 Dec. 1878; educ. Charterhouse; received his commission as 2nd Lieut. in the 3rd Battn. Royal Fusiliers from the Militia, 4 Jan. 1899, and was promoted Lieut. 27 Jan. 1900, and Capt. 19 Oct. 1904. He was seconded for service with the Chinese Regt. at Wei-hai-Wei from 20 April, 1901, to 19 April, 1906; was employed with the West African Regt. from 14 July, 1906, to Dec. 1910, and again from 19 Sept. 1912. On the outbreak of the European War he was ordered to the Cameroons and was acting second in command when killed in action during the fighting around Jabassi on 8 Oct. 1914; _unm._ He was buried at Dibandi. A picture of the cross erected to his memory appeared in the Sketch for 5 June, 1915. Capt. Brand was a clever Chinese linguist.

=BRANDON, JOHN COOPER=, 340733, H.M.S. Hogue; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=BRANTINGHAM, GEORGE=, E.R.A., 1st Class, 155692 (Ports.), H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=BRASH, PRENTISE STEPHEN=, Petty Officer, 180365, H.M.S. Pathfinder; lost when that ship was sunk by a mine, about 20 miles off the East Coast, 5 Sept. 1914.

=BRASHAW, JOSEPH ARTHUR=, Capt., 16th Battn. Australian Imperial Force, 3rd _s._ of Harry Brashaw, of Perth and Dudley House Farm, Kwelkam, Kununoppin, West Australia, by his wife, Sebra, dau. of John White, of Coventry, and nephew of Joseph White, of The Woodlands, Cowper Road, Bournemouth; _b._ Woalingham, New South Wales, 1891; educ. Bunbury, West Australia; joined the forces as a cadet when 17 years of age, and was later transferred to the Militia. He worked his way up through the ranks and received his lieutenancy in 1913. On the outbreak of war he volunteered for Imperial Service, and was sent to Melbourne to assist in training the New Forces. Here he contracted typhoid fever, and returned to West Australia, leaving for the front in charge of reinforcements for the 16th Battn. He arrived in time to take part in the historic landing at the Dardanelles on 25 April, 1915, and was subsequently wounded during the heavy fighting on 17 May. When convalescent he was given the opportunity of being invalided to England as his foot had not fully recovered, but pleaded to be allowed to rejoin his unit, and returned to duty on 17 July, being gazetted Capt. on the 29th. Nine days later, on 7 Aug. 1915, he was killed in action at Suvla Bay; _unm._

=BRASHIER, WILLIAM=, Private, No. 2436, D Coy., 1/7th Battn. Durham L.I., 2nd _s._ of James Brashier, by his wife, Sarah, dau. of Hugh McKee; _b._ Durham, 20 Jan. 1895; educ. there; enlisted after the outbreak of the war, and died in hospital at Boulogne, 14 May, 1915, of wounds received in action; _unm._

=BRASIER, LEONARD GEORGE=, Petty Officer, 2nd Class (R.F.R., B. 2406), 219840, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in the action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=BRASS, WILLIAM=, Corpl., No. 6/807, South Canterbury Battn., New Zealand Expeditionary Force, _s._ of James Gilles Brass, of Kirkwall, Farmer, by his wife Isabella Balfour, dau. of James Bews; _b._ Harray, Orkney, 27 Dec. 1889; educ. Rendall Parish School, Orkney, went to New Zealand in Dec. 1908, enlisted at Christchurch on the outbreak of war, left with the main force and was killed in action at the Dardanelles, 26 April, 1915; _unm._ Brass was the well-known Mount Cook Guide, and had been a member of the Scottish Garrison Artillery before going to New Zealand. He was a personal friend of Richmond, the guide who was lost with Mr. King in the descent from Mount Cook. Brass, with Mr. Turner, made an ascent on the same day, and the two parties were to have met on the top. They passed over the avalanche which killed the others, tracing their steps down to it. Subsequently it was Brass who found the mangled body of Richmond, and his great strength was a considerable factor in bringing it down to the hut in that terrible journey in which the guides had to take it in turns to carry it on their backs down a mountain side in the dark, a feat which seems almost incredible when the place is gone over in the daylight.

=BRATTLE, WILLIAM=, Chief Stoker, 277368, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.