Tpr Robert Brown DCM

Hello all,

I was wondering whether anyone has any information on Trooper Robert Brown who I believe won the DCM during the AZW, unfortunately I'm away from my books etc. at present.

I've come across a grave in Elloughton churchyard in East Yorkshire to a Robert Brown who was accidentally drowned in 1881 - inscribed on the memorial are the words "erected in grateful remembrance of his devoted and gallant service by Colonel Redvers Buller...."

I believe Brown was Buller's orderly during the campaign, would be interested to know any further information.

Regards,

Tim

Tim,

The Graphic of 20th December 1879 page 603 confirms that 'Trooper Robert Brown, of the Frontier Light Horse, is a Yorkshireman, and acted as orderly to Colonel Buller. ...'

Sounds like you have got the right man.

John Y.

Thanks John,

I'll ask Admin to post a couple of photos of the memorial soon.

Regards,

Tim

As an orderly for Colonel Buller, would Trooper Brown have accompanied the Colonel throughout all of the numerous actions, would he have been at Zunguin Neck, Zlobane and Kambula.

Cheers
Waterloo

From Dutton..

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From Sole..

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From ' What Happened To A VC ' by Patricia D'arcy , the Roll of the FLH has 23 Brown , Robt. Date of Enrolment 18 / 12 / 77 , No Discharge Date , Listed as served in A , B , C .
Those marked '' A '' were engaged against the Gaikas , Galekas & Other Kaffir Tribes 1877-78
Those marked '' B '' were engaged against the Zulus in 1879
Those marked '' C '' were engaged against Sekukuni
90th

Hey Gary, neat little book or what! what a
sad end for a brave man.

Receiving their decorations at windsor castle dec 9th 1879.
L-R.. Trooper R Brown FLH. Private W Roy 24th. Private
J Power 24th and Col Sgt J Smith 90th.. The Graphic dec
20th 1879.

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Les,

You have made the mistake of going by the text supplied by The Graphic, the sergeant - Lance Sergeant to be precise - is actually William Allan V.C., which is why he is wearing the Sphinx of the 24th.

Colour Sergeant Smith is in the engraving being decorated by Queen Victoria with his D.C.M., he is depicted with light coloured facings and a dark tuft to his shako. The 90th wore buff facings and wore a green pom-pom on their shako.

I have written on the case of mistaken identity in the past.

John Y.

Hi JY, yeah i took the print straight off the wall and scanned
it..and wrote the text verbatim, i do remember you correcting
mistaken identities in the past on lots of occasions, lazy of me!
and if anyone would know, that would be you!.

Les,

The cropped version in Dutton's work is actually lifted from my work, and I am uncredited.

In the Terry Sole piece that you posted I notice that he has managed to render Vinnicombe as 'Dunncombe', first time I noticed that one.

John Y.

JY, at least Dutton got the entry right..223 Trooper W.D. Vinnicombe. date
of enrolment 27.8.78. date of discharge, 12.7.79, promoted Lieut N.N.C.
DCM Hlobane Mountain. that is to say..( I ) ' presume ' it's right.

You know, i know how you feel about accreditation and the problems you
have had in the past..it is such a simple thing to do, and the author would
plead it's an oversight which would be corrected in any future edition's,
but the publications tend to be ' one off's '. so that will be highly unlikely,
must make you want to spit, to say the least.

I knew the image, but trying to find it when wanted can be a bind, so i went
for the Dutton one which of course is a very inferior repro, and lying on my
bed i was staring into space before i realized i was looking at the graphic
print straight in front of me. sod's law.

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Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer 09 July 1881