Henry George Gore-Browne

Henry George Gore-Browne(VC) (30 September 1830 - 15 November 1912) was born in Newtown, County Roscommon and was an Irish 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.

Details

Henry George was the son of Arthur Browne, Esq. (d.1870), and his wife Anna Elizabeth Clements, daughter of Captain Clements. He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin. He was a great-great grandson of the 1st Earl of Altamont MP, whose heir is the Marquess of Sligo. His great-grandfather was The Right Hon Arthur Browne MP, of Leixslip Castle. He was the uncle of the 1st Baron Mottistone.

He was 26 years old, and a captain in the 32nd Regiment of Foot (later The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry) in the British Army during the Indian Mutiny when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

:On 21 August 1857 at Lucknow, India, during the Siege of the Residency, Captain Browne led a sortie for the purpose of spiking two heavy guns which were doing considerable damage to the defences. The guns were protected by high palisades, the embrasures being closed with sliding shutters. On reaching the battery, Captain Browne removed the shutters, jumped into the battery and spiked the guns. It is supposed that about 100 of the enemy were killed in this operation.

Further information

He later achieved the rank of colonel; after which he served as Magistrate for Hampshire. He died at Shanklin, Isle of Wight 15 November 1912.

References

Listed in order of publication year
*The Register of the Victoria Cross (1981, 1988 and 1997)
*The Irish Sword (Brian Clarke 1986)
*Irelands VCs ISBN 1-899243-00-3 (Dept of Economic Development 1995)
*Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
*Irish Winners of the Victoria Cross (Richard Doherty & David Truesdale, 2000)
* [http://www.thepeerage.com/p3469.htm The Peerage]
* [http://www.burkes-peerage.net/FamilyHomepage.aspx?FID=12667 Burke's Peerage and Baronetage 107th Edition Volume III]