Major Henry BROUGHAM
B Battery, 65th (Howitzer) Brigade Royal Field Artillery

Date of birth: 8th July 1888
Date of death: 18th February 1923

Died aged 34
Unknown
Henry Brougham was born at Wellington College in Berkshire on the 8th of July 1888 the eldest son of Henry William Brougham, a school master, and Alwine Rosa (nee Lauer) Brougham of Brougham House, Wellington College.

He was educated at Hazelwood School until July 1901 where he was a member of the 2nd Football XI in 1898 and of the Cricket XI in 1899, 1900 and 1901. The school magazine wrote of his 1899 cricket season: - "If the wicket were a few inches shorter he would be one of our best, and will be when he grows. A fearless and dashing little batsman, and would be a fine cover it if he would pay more attention to his throwing. Will perhaps lake a bowler if he bowls his proper pace, but is inclined to bowl much too slow."

Of his 1900 cricket season they wrote: - "Another inexplicable failure this year - in foreign matches. He is a really fine bat, and deserved far more success. A beautiful field and catch, and moderate slow bowler."

They wrote of his 1901 cricket season: - "A really fine little batsman, playing hard and scoring freely all round the wicket except on the leg side where he is rather disposed to scratch instead of hitting. Has scored splendidly in the games where he gets as good, and better, bowling than in matches where he has been singularly unlucky. A beautiful field anywhere and a fairly useful bowler."

He was a member of the Football XI in 1899 and 1900. The school magazine wrote of his 1899 season: - "Outside left. Has great possibilities before him, very neat with his feet and centres well; perhaps a trifle too polite, but is very small at present."

Of his 1900 football season they wrote: - " Right wing. Can generally be relied upon to give a good account of himself, though he might with advantage impart more vigour into his play. Is a good shot, and has reduced corner kicking to a fine art."

On leaving the school the magazine wrote of him: - "...goes to Wellington. He is one of our best all round sportsmen and a capital actor."

He went on to Wellington College where he was in Mr. Brougham’s House from September 1901 to 1907. He represented the school at Racquets from 1904 to 1907, was appointed as a Prefect in 1905 and was Head of School in 1907. He was a member of the Cricket XI from 1905 and was Captain of Cricket in 1906 and 1907. He also represented the college at Racquets, winning the Public Schools Challenge Trophy for racquets in 1907. He played on the wing for the college Rugby XV in 1906 and was a member of the Officer Training Corps. He played county cricket for Berkshire from 1905 to 1914. On leaving Wellington College he was awarded the King’s Medal which was presented by the King himself. The inscription with the medal said the following “Cheerful submission to superiors, unselfish good fellowship with equals, independence and self respect with the strong, kindness and protection for the weak; a readiness to forgive offences towards him and to conciliate the differences with others, and above all fearless devotion to duty and unflinching truthfulness.”

He went on to win an Exhibition to Brasenose College Oxford in October 1907 where he achieved a BA in 1911. He was a member of the Oxford University Officer Training Corps for three years where he rose to the rank of Lance Corporal and achieved both Certificates A and B. He played racquets in both singles and doubles, winning the Public Schools Championship in 1907 and for Oxford (second string in 1908 and first string in 1909) as well as coming second in the Amateur Championships in 1909. He played for his College in the Football XI and in the Rugby XV. He won the bronze medal for racquets at the London Olympic Games in 1908. He was awarded a “Blue” for cricket in 1911. In 1912 he represented the Minor Counties at cricket against South Africa. In all, during his five match first class career as a right handed batsman, he scored 214 runs at an average of 23.77.

Despite not playing in the Rugby First XV at Wellington he played rugby for Harlequins and England being capped four times at wing three quarter in the 1912 home championships and scoring three tries. His debut was against Wales at Twickenham on the 20th of January 1912. Also in 1912 he represented the Minor Counties in a match against South Africa during their summer tour that year. He won the Amateur Doubles Racquets Championship in 1913, partnered by Mr. B.S. Foster.

He went to work as a school teacher, becoming an Assistant Master at Locker’s Park in September 1911 and became a partner at Elstree School in 1913.

He was married to Helen Beryl Frances (nee Waters) on the 31st of October 1914 at the Servite Church, Fulham Road; they had a son, Henry Gordon, born on the 9th of January 1916. Helen was later remarried to Thomas Charles Jerningham Fitzherbert on the 30th of April 1925.

Following the outbreak of war he applied for a commission and underwent a medical examination at Edgware on the 21st of September 1914 at which it was recorded that he was five feet nine inches tall and that he weighed 152lbs. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery on the 1st of October 1914 and was promoted to Lieutenant on the 24th of November 1914. He embarked for France with his Battery from Southampton on board the SS "Huanchalo" at 1.50 am on the 31st of May 1915, landing at Le Havre later in the day. He was promoted to Captain on the 22nd of December 1915. On the 25th of May 1916 B Battery, 65th Brigade transferred to the 63rd Brigade Royal Artillery. He was promoted to Lieutenant on the 22nd of December 1915. He was promoted to Acting Major while in command of a battery on the 23rd of April 1917 and to Temporary Major on the 18th of September 1917. He relinquished that rank on the 21st of June 1918.

In late 1917 he was badly gassed during an enemy attack and in December he left the front. He was taken ill with tuberculosis the following year while in Ireland and was admitted to the Curragh Military Hospital. A Medical Board which sat there on the 1st of July 1918 found him to be permanently unfit for military service and he resigned his commission on the grounds of ill health on the 26th of July 1918, leaving the army with the rank of Honorary Major.

He went for sanatorium treatment at Pinewood and, in August 1918, he transferred to Tor-ne-Dee at Murtle in Aberdeenshire for further treatment. On the 29th of March 1919 a Medical Board was convened at the 1st Scottish General Hospital which summarised his case: - "Towards the end of 1917 he noticed that he had a good deal of cough and that he was losing weight. In June 1918, he was admitted to Curragh Hospital where he was boarded and recommended for discharge and sanatorium treatment. In July 1918, he went to Pinewood and transferred in Aug. 1918 to Tor-ne-Dee where he has remained ever since. He has made little if any progress. His weight on admission to Tor-ne-Dee was 10st. 1 3/4lbs. He now weighs 10st. 6 1/4lbs. There is extensive active disease of the right lung with extensive pleurisy. There is flattening and dullness over upper part of right chest both anteriorly and posteriorly. Bronchial breathing over upper lobe and crepitation are heard practically all over the lung and signs of pleurisy are heard at the base. T.B. are numerous in the sputum and there is continuous pyrexia."

At a point in time between March 1919 and April 1920 he transferred once more to The Chalet, Marley Heights, Haslemere in Surrey for open air treatment but there was no improvement and he continued losing weight. Sometime between March 1920 and April 1921 he was moved for further open air treatment to the Grand Hotel, La Croix Valmer in the South of France. He died there at 1.30am on the 18th of February 1923.

The school magazine of April 1923 wrote: - “Unutterably sad as is his departure, it was yet a happy release after a long period of suffering heroically born. His malady was lung trouble, caused by as poisoning. Throughout his illness he showed himself extraordinarily brave”
Went on to Wellington College

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