Today | News | Books | Recipes Adventure | Science Fiction | Ghost stories | Poetry | Children | History Book, 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. [Illustration: =Hon. E. W. M. M. Brabazon.=] =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. [Illustration: =Arthur Henry Brabrook.=] =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." [Illustration: =Humphrey Alfred Bracey.=] =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 o |