Edward Brackenbury

Who was Edward Brackenbury?

Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Edward Brackenbury was a British Army officer.

Brackenbury, a direct descendant from Sir Robert Brackenbury, lieutenant of the Tower of London in the time of Richard III, was second son of Richard Brackenbury, of Aswardby, Lincolnshire, by his wife Janetta, daughter of George Gunn of Edinburgh.

Having entered the army as an Ensign in the 61st Foot in 1803, and become a Lieutenant on 8 December in the same year. He served in Sicily, in Calabria, at Scylla Castle and at Gibraltar, 1807–8, and in the Peninsula from 1809 to the end of the war in 1814. At the battle of Salamanca he took a piece of artillery from the enemy, guarded by four soldiers, close to their retiring column, without any near or immediate support, and in many other important engagements conducted himself with distinguished valour. As a reward for his numerous services he received the war medal with nine clasps.

On 22 July 1812 he was promoted to a Captaincy, and after the conclusion of the war was attached to the Portuguese and Spanish army from 25 October 1814 to 25 December 1816, when he was placed on half-pay. He was promoted Major in the Army in 1817 and purchased a Majority in the 28th Foot on 1 November 1827. On 31 January 1828 he was again placed on half-pay. His foreign services were further recognised by his being made a knight of the Portuguese order of the Tower and Sword in 1824, a knight of the Spanish order of St. Ferdinand, and a commander of the Portuguese order of St. Bento d'Avis.