Captain Francis John Brodigan, 1st Bn Gloucestershire Regt.

[Old Owl]

Remembering today Captain Francis John Brodigan, 1st Bn Gloucestershire Regiment, killed in action on 9th May,1915, during the attack by the 3rd Brigade on the Rue des Bois, Aubers Ridge. Commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial. Age 31.

He was born on 28th July,1883 at Portsmouth, the only son of the late Colonel Francis Brodigan, 28th Regt (Gloucesters) and of Alice Brodigan of Piltown House, Drogheda, Co.Meath. Educated at Stubbington House Preparatory School and privately, he took a commission into the 2nd Meath Militia in 1900 and transferred to the Gloucestershire Regt as 2/Lt on 29th Jan.,1902. (He had no war service during the Boer War 1899-1902.)

On 26th March,1912, he was granted his Aviator's Certificate (No.200) flying a Bristol Biplane at the Central Flying School, Upavon, Wiltshire. An early aviator.

Promoted to Captain in the 1st Bn Gloucestershire Regiment on 10th Jan.,1912, he proceeded to France with his battalion arriving there in December,1914. He was killed in action during the attack at Rue des Bois, Aubers Ridge.

From Conan Doyle:

"---The 3rd Brigade on their flank had pushed forward the 1st Gloucesters and the 1st South Wales Borderers. They found the enemy 'standing 3 and 4 deep in their breastworks and fighting like demons'. The British threw themselves down, and their guns showered shrapnel on the crowded German trenches. The enemy losses were great but their machine-guns were intact and no advance was possible. At 6 o'clock the survivors of both brigades were back in their trenches once more."

RIP

[museumtom]

[Old Owl]

Many thanks Tom.

Robert

[museumtom]

Happy to help.

[Keith Iles]

Remembered RIP

My Great Uncle Charles Sydney Iles also served with the 1st Bn Gloustershire Regiment I have him on the 1911 census at Cambridge Barracks, Portsmouth, Hampshire. His Medal Index Card shows his entry into a theater of war as France 19 - 12 - 1914, who knows they may have even known each other.

Keith