Field Marshal Viscount Alanbrooke

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AJK
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Field Marshal Viscount Alanbrooke

#1

Post by AJK » 26 Mar 2020, 02:45

I am trying to piece together Field Marshal Alanbrooke's early military career (pre-World War I), which is surprisingly hard to find online. I have found the following sparse information, and would greatly appreciate help with filling in the details (exact dates, commands held).

Thanks,

AJK

24 Dec 1902 - 1906: 48th Battery, Royal Field Artillery
1906 - ?: 30th Battery, Royal Field Artillery
?: N Battery, Royal Horse Artillery
? - 1 Feb 1915: Commander, H Ammunition Column, 9th Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery
1 Feb 1915 - 21 Nov 1915: Adjutant, Royal Horse Artillery Brigade

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Andy H
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Re: Field Marshal Viscount Alanbrooke

#2

Post by Andy H » 26 Mar 2020, 16:49

Hi

Brooke spent his first 3yrs in Ireland (where he was based at Fethard Co.Tipperary) and the next 8 in India.
In November 1906 he volunteered for service in India and was initially ordered to take over a draft of the East Lancashire Regt and organise there movement from Curragh, outside Dublin, to Bombay. He arrived in India on 26/12/06 and travelled to join 30th FA Bty at Meerut in the Punjab.
In 1909 he passed his promotion exam to Captain before applying to the Indian Staff College which would begin in the November. In the meantime he was posted to N Battery RHA, known as Eagle Troop at Ambala. He failed the Military Law paper so didn't get into the Staff College. He stayed with the 30th until he left India to get married (28/7/14) On his way back to India he disembarked in Egypt (24/8/14) and attached himself to a RHA unit in Abassia. On Sept 17th he took command of an Ammunition Column of 120men heading for Marseilles, France, arriving 8/10/14. On 30/10/14 they headed to the front. He was finally promoted to Captain in the November and in January 1915 was made Staff Captain Royal Artillery in the 2nd Indian Cavalry Division.
Source: Alanbrooke by David Fraser, Published by Collins 1982

The rest from that point on can be found here:- https://www.unithistories.com/officers/ ... s_B04.html

Regards

Andy H


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Re: Field Marshal Viscount Alanbrooke

#3

Post by AJK » 26 Mar 2020, 17:14

Thank you, Andy, for your input. It is interesting to see that even in a book wholly dedicated to the life of Alanbrooke, detailed information about his early military career is almost non-existant.

Regards,

AJK

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Re: Field Marshal Viscount Alanbrooke

#4

Post by Andy H » 26 Mar 2020, 21:02

AJK wrote:
26 Mar 2020, 17:14
Thank you, Andy, for your input. It is interesting to see that even in a book wholly dedicated to the life of Alanbrooke, detailed information about his early military career is almost non-existant.

Regards,

AJK
Hi AJK

Its not that its non-existent (as I detailed it above) but that it was routine, dull and mundane garrison work for the most part, interspersed with usual officer hobbies of hunting and exploring. There 16 pages devoted to this period between 1902 and 1914, when essentially he did nothing militarily noteworthy.

Regards

Andy H

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Re: Field Marshal Viscount Alanbrooke

#5

Post by Andy H » 26 Mar 2020, 21:02

AJK wrote:
26 Mar 2020, 17:14
Thank you, Andy, for your input. It is interesting to see that even in a book wholly dedicated to the life of Alanbrooke, detailed information about his early military career is almost non-existant.

Regards,

AJK
Hi AJK

Its not that its non-existent (as I detailed it above) but that it was routine, dull and mundane garrison work for the most part, interspersed with usual officer hobbies of hunting and exploring. There 16 pages devoted to this period between 1902 and 1914, when essentially he did nothing militarily noteworthy.

Regards

Andy H

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AJK
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Re: Field Marshal Viscount Alanbrooke

#6

Post by AJK » 26 Mar 2020, 22:04

Thanks again, Andy. Based on the information that you have supplied, here is what I have come up with regarding Alanbrooke's early career postings:

24 Dec 1902 - 1906: 48th Battery, Royal Field Artillery
1906 - 1909: 30th Battery, Royal Field Artillery
1909: N Battery, Royal Horse Artillery
1909 - 17 Sep 1914: 30th Battery, Royal Field Artillery
17 Sep 1914 - Jan 1915: Commander, H Ammunition Column, 9th Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery
Jan 1915 - 1 Feb 1915: Staff Captain, Royal Artillery, 2nd Indian Cavalry Division
1 Feb 1915 - 21 Nov 1915: Adjutant, Royal Horse Artillery Brigade

If anyone can provide more detailed information on exact dates of appointment, I would be most grateful.

Thanks,

AJK

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Re: Field Marshal Viscount Alanbrooke

#7

Post by Sheldrake » 26 Mar 2020, 22:36

AJK wrote:
26 Mar 2020, 22:04
Thanks again, Andy. Based on the information that you have supplied, here is what I have come up with regarding Alanbrooke's early career postings:

24 Dec 1902 - 1906: 48th Battery, Royal Field Artillery (Fethard and Waterford , Ireland)
1906 - 1909: 30th Battery, Royal Field Artillery (Meerut India)
October 1909 - 17 Sep 1914: N Battery, Royal Horse Artillery Ambala - India
17 Sep 1914 - Jan 1915: Commander, H Ammunition Column, 9th Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery. (I think this was the ammunition column for the Brigade of which N was part)
Jan 1915 - 1 Feb 1915: Staff Captain, Royal Artillery, 2nd Indian Cavalry Division ( 1 Feb 1915 - 21 Nov 1915: Adjutant, Royal Horse Artillery Brigade- I think this is the same appointment, possibly re-designated. The Staff Captain RA in the cavalry division was the adjuitant to the CRA who happened to be the commander of the Divisional RHA Brigade.

If anyone can provide more detailed information on exact dates of appointment, I would be most grateful.

Thanks,

AJK
Have you got David Fraser's Biography of Alanbrooke?

You could also contact N Battery (The Eagle Troop) Royal Horse Artillery, 3rd Regiment RHA Albemarle Barracks Newcastle NE15 0RF [email protected]

What is your interest in Brooke?

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Re: Field Marshal Viscount Alanbrooke

#8

Post by AJK » 26 Mar 2020, 22:55

Hi Sheldrake,

Thank you very much for the additional information. I am working on a project on all of the British Field Marshals during the period 1900 - 1945, so of course Brooke is included. I will likely have additional posts looking for information on some of the other ones...

Regards,

AJK

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