Major Gonville Bromhead VC

29th August 1845 – 9th February 1892) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
Bromhead had a profound deafness which had restricted his promotion opportunities to this point in his life. It was this disability that prompted Bromhead to defer command to John Rouse Merriott Chard during the Rorke's Drift Siege. Bromhead had been promoted to Lieutenant in 1871.
He was a 33 year old lieutenant commanding B Company, 2nd Battalion, 24th Foot (later The South Wales Borderers), British Army during the Zulu War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 22 and 23 January 1879 at Rorke's Drift, Natal, South Africa, Lieutenant Bromhead shared the command of the defenders of the post with an officer of the Royal Engineers (John Rouse Merriott Chard), setting a fine example and conducting himself with great gallantry in most trying circumstances.
After the battle he was immediately promoted to Captain and then Brevet Major.[The citation for his VC was published in the London Gazette on 2 May 1879:

THE Queen has been graciously pleased to signify Her intention to confer the decoration of the Victoria Cross on the under mentioned Officers and Soldiers of Her Majesty's Army, whose claims have been submitted for Her Majesty's approval, for their gallant conduct in the defence of Rorke's Drift, on the occasion of the attack by the Zulus, as recorded against their names, viz.: — For their gallant conduct at the defence of Rorke's Drift, on the occasion of the attack by the Zulus on the 22nd and 23rd January, 1879.Royal Engineers Lieutenant (now Captain and Brevet Major) J. R. M. Chard 2nd Battalion 24th Regiment Lieutenant (now Captain and Brevet Major) G. BromheadThe Lieutenant-General commanding the troops reports that, had it not been for the fine example and excellent behaviour of these two Officers under the most trying circumstances, the defence of Rorke's Drift post would not have been conducted with that intelligence and tenacity which so essentially characterised it.The Lieutenant-General adds, that its success must, in a great degree, be attributable to the two young Officers who exercised the Chief Command on the occasion in question.

He received a substantive promotion to Major on 4 April 1883.

Bromhead died of typhoid at Camp Dabhaura, Allahabad, British India where he is buried in a military cemetery. The church at Thurlby in Lincolnshire has a stained glass window dedicated to him. His grandfather, who fought at the Battle of Waterloo, is buried in its churchyard. His Victoria Cross is displayed at the South Wales Borderers Museum (Brecon, Powys, Wales).

He was considered to be Irish, despite being born in Versailles, France. His mother, Judith Christine Wood, was certainly Irish, being a native of Woodville, Co. Sligo. However, his father's home was Thurlby Hall, north of Bassingham, near Lincoln. He was educated at the Thomas Magnus Grammar School in Newark, Nottinghamshire where one of the School Houses - 'Bromhead' was named after him until their abolition early this century.



Click Here. Gonville Bromhead, Lieut: 62nd: Regt: Quarter Master,

Littlehand,

I don't know if the definition is any better with my copy of the photograph?

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Major Gonville Bromhead, V.C., 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers
John Young Collection

JY

And he apparently never warmed to playing the role of a hero.  

The quite man!  I read he was invited to meet the queen, but went fishing instead. He was never invited again.

littlehand wrote:

The quite man!  I read he was invited to meet the queen, but went fishing instead. He was never invited again.

Yes but he also didn't like to talk about the battle or even his role in it with his friends. He just wanted to put it behind him, apparently.

Isn't that's what's  known as a real soldier. one who doesn't speak of what he done and saw!

its infinitely superior, sepia  

yes many years later, but compare
the profile..soz 6pdr could'nt get
to you in time.

Why spoil a good story - all the battlefield guides tell it.........here is the truth

When he returned from South Africa in January 1880, Gonville Bromhead was invited, with Major Chard, to Balmoral Castle, by Queen Victoria. Unfortunately, he had left for a fishing trip in Ireland and did not receive his invitation until the date had passed. He did however attend a Dinner Party at Windsor Castle hosted by the Queen on 18 May 1880 when one of the other guests was the Earl of Beaconsfield – the former Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli.

You can check this - Court Circular - published in The Times dated 19 May 1880.

hiya kenny. succinct,accurate   .
xhosa

soz, 11.13 and next was for
the bromhead post. its
been a long day

Hi Littlehand .
A touch of speculation on your behalf regarding Bromhead and his fishing trip ! , he was indeed away when the invitation arrived so therefore he missed the engagement , thanks to Kenny for posting the facts.
90th

The story about Bromhead's deafness was promoted by Wolseley as justified Chard and Bromhead as below average officers. Whether this was a bit of sour grapes on Wolseley part as he himself had not received the VC we do not know.

However I suspect that most infantry officers of the period suffered defects in their hearing caused by standing close to ranks of Martini-Henry rifles being fired. The below officer, Bromhead, did achieve not one but two first class Instructor certificates from the School of Musketry at Hythe - he was on 'the top of his game' - certainly not a below average officer. Wolseley has a lot to answer for.

This contain's a nice article on Bromhead..usual stuff.

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The advert on the back cover.. out of my price range.

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Great post Les , I'd like that 24th Cap ! , Yes it's a tad expensive the Car !
90th

Hi Gary, yeah mate, i wonder where it is right now!.
it would make a nice stocking filler this crimbo. oh
for a time machine, those 1966 prices look very
good fifty years later.. till you remember that the
average weekly wage was four to six quid. cheers
xhosa

Hi Les
, you had Xmas early 7- 2 V Stoke !!
90th

Shhh!. i dare'nt believe how good we are right now..
but we will always be city at the end off the day so
the wheels will come off at some point.
xhosa

Hi Les
I heard that City has broken the record for so many goals at this stage of the season , the previous best was I think they said Everton in 1888 !!!!?????? WTFFFF .
90th

I know its completely crazy at the moment, i can't believe what
pep's done.. but we won the first 10 games last year and then
went right down the tube.. i wonder if Bromhead ever played!
we know he boxed and played cricket.. but football was well
established in the 1870's. going to be a tad breezy in the uk
today. cheers mate. xhosa

90th wrote:

Hi Les
, you had Xmas early 7- 2 V Stoke !!
90th

Yes, Stoke my local premiership team......the only team they ever seem to beat (at home) are my beloved Gunners.....I dread an Arsenal visit to bet365.....

What makes matters worse is my daughter is in training programme organised by SCFC and always seem to wear her shirt to rub it in......