Edward Douglas Brown

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. He entered the Army as a Lieutenant in the 18th Hussars on 7 November 1883. On 27 March 1889, he joined the 14th King's Hussars. From 1 January 1890 to 31 December 1894, he was Commandant of the Aldershot School of Instruction for Yeomanry. Brown had achieved the rank of major when the 14th King's Hussars were mobilised for active service on 9 Oct0ber 1899 for service in the Second Boer War. They had been stationed at Newbridge in Ireland, 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.