Major-General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

William Vesey Brownlow (12 June 1841 – 15 March 1928) was a

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

officer.

Military career

Brownlow was commissioned as an

ensign An ensign is the national flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality. The ensign is the largest flag, generally flown at the stern (rear) of the ship while in port. The naval ensign (also known as war ensign), used on warships, may be diffe ...

the

30th (Cambridgeshire) Regiment of Foot 30 (thirty) is the natural number following 29 and preceding 31. In mathematics 30 is an even, composite, pronic number. With 2, 3, and 5 as its prime factors, it is a regular number and the first sphenic number, the smallest of the fo ...

in April 1859. He served in the

Anglo-Zulu War The Anglo-Zulu War was fought in 1879 between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom. Following the passing of the British North America Act of 1867 forming a federation in Canada, Lord Carnarvon thought that a similar political effort, cou ...

in 1879 and the

First Boer War The First Boer War ( af, Eerste Vryheidsoorlog, literally "First Freedom War"), 1880–1881, also known as the First Anglo–Boer War, the Transvaal War or the Transvaal Rebellion, was fought from 16 December 1880 until 23 March 1881 betwee ...

in 1880. During the First Boer War he was wounded and had his horse shot out from under him. He was rescued by Private John Doogan who was awarded the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...

for his action. Brownlow became assistant commandant and superintendent at the Riding Establishment Cavalry Depot in May 1882 and commanded the 22nd Regimental District (the

Cheshire Regiment The Cheshire Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Prince of Wales' Division. The 22nd Regiment of Foot was raised by the Duke of Norfolk in 1689 and was able to boast an independent existence of over 300 years. ...

) from 1889 to 1894. He went on to serve as colonel of the

1st King's Dragoon Guards The 1st King's Dragoon Guards was a cavalry regiment in the British Army. The regiment was raised by Sir John Lanier in 1685 as the 2nd Queen's Regiment of Horse, named in honour of Queen Mary, consort of King James II. It was renamed the 2nd Ki ...

from 1908 to 1926. He lived at Boughton Hall in Great Boughton, Cheshire. He was also

High Sheriff of Monaghan The High Sheriff of Monaghan was the British monarch's representative in County Monaghan, a territory known as his bailiwick. Selected from three nominated people, he held his office for the duration of a year. He had judicial, ceremonial and adm ...

from 1907 to 1908.

Family

Brownlow married Lady Anne Henrietta, daughter of

John Dalrymple, 10th Earl of Stair John Hamilton Dalrymple, 10th Earl of Stair, Order of the Thistle, KT (1 April 1819 – 3 December 1903), styled Viscount Dalrymple from 1853 until 1864, was a Scotland, Scottish peer and politician, who served as Governor of the Bank of Scotlan ...

in November 1881. After the death of his first wife, he married Lady Kathleen Susan Emma, daughter of John Bligh, 6th Earl of Darnley in June 1904.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brownlow, William Vesey British Army major generals 1841 births 1928 deaths British Army personnel of the Anglo-Zulu War British military personnel of the First Boer War Companions of the Order of the Bath High Sheriffs of Monaghan 30th Regiment of Foot officers