Colonel Edward Douglas Brown-Synge-Hutchinson, (6 March 1861 – 3 March 1940) was an Anglo-Irish soldier and a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Biography

He was born as Edward Douglas Brown in Kasauli, Dagshai, India, the son of Frances Dorothy Synge-Hutchinson and David Philip Brown of the 7th Queen's Own Hussars. Thus he was the nephew of both Sir Edward Synge-Hutchinson and Lieutenant General Coote Synge-Hutchinson.

Brown was educated at Edinburgh Academy and the United Services College. and arrived in South Africa in January 1900. As a result of his courage under fire, he was awarded the Victoria Cross. He was also mentioned twice in dispatches: on 29 November 1900 by Lord Roberts, Commander-in-Chief during the early part of the war and on 8 April 1902 by Lord Kitchener C-i-C during the latter part of the war

Brown left Cape Town for the United Kingdom in early May 1902, shortly before the end of the war, part of a detachment to attend the Coronation of King Edward VII. He received a brevet promotion to lieutenant-colonel in the South African Honours list published on 26 June 1902.

In 1904 he took the name (but was not able to inherit the title) of his maternal uncle, Sir Edward Synge-Hutchinson, to become Edward Douglas Brown-Synge-Hutchinson VC.

In November 1906 he was promoted to the brevet rank of colonel, took command of the 14th Hussars in February 1907, and was simultaneously made a lieutenant colonel, and so served until February 1911.

After relinquishing command of the regiment he was promoted to colonel and placed on half-pay. In November that year he was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB). He retired from the military in 1915.

Brown died in London at the age of 78.

The medal

His Victoria Cross is currently not on display, but is housed at HorsePower- The King's Royal Hussars Museum, Winchester, Hampshire, England.

Arms

References

  • Irish Winners of the Victoria Cross (Richard Doherty & David Truesdale, 2000)
  • Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
  • The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
  • Victoria Crosses of the Anglo-Boer War (Ian Uys, 2000)
  • Location of grave and VC medal (Golders Green)
  • AngloBoerwar.com