10th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment
Henry Wycliffe Brewis was born in Hornsey, London on 8 May 1894: he was the youngest of Samuel and Emma Chambers Brewis’ five children, three of whom were daughters. Samuel Brewis was a coal merchant and the family lived at Mount Waltham, 47 Netherhall Gardens, Hampstead, London NW3.
He initially joined the 19th (Service) Battalion (2nd Public Schools) of the Royal Fusiliers, on 5 September 1914, serving in ‘A’ Company. This battalion principally comprised those with previous service in the Public Schools and University Men’s Force.
On 30 December 1914 he was commissioned into the Gloucestershire Regiment and posted to 10th Battalion. According to his Medal Index Card, he went to France on 24 October 1915 and during his time rose to the rank of Temporary Captain. Whilst serving he was awarded the Military Cross (MC). The citation reads: ‘For conspicuous gallantry in action. He led his company with great dash, and seized under heavy fire a hostile advanced post, which proved most useful.’ How long he spent in France is not known as his National Archives’ file (WO339/5156) mainly details the circumstances of his death.
It appears that by May 1918 he was attached to 2/1st Queen’s Own Yorkshire Dragoons, stationed at Moore Park Camp, Rilworth, Co Clare, Ireland. At a court of enquiry held at the camp on 4 June 1918 it was revealed that on 31 May 1918 Captain Brewis and Second Lieutenant Potter set out on Brewis’ motorcycle to go to Lismore, they were seen leaving the camp at 7.45pm. They were reported missing at 6.30am the next day and were found to be in Fermoy Military Hospital, both seriously injured. Captain Brewis died at about 3pm on 4 June, not having regained consciousness. He had suffered a broken left collar bone and a compound fracture of the skull. He was aged 24 and unmarried. Second Lieutenant Potter remained unconscious (indications are that he survived). A witness at Ballinlooine stated that he heard a crash at about 3am and discovered that a motorcycle had evidently touched a wall opposite his farm gate, in very foggy conditions.
Brewis’ medals were sent to his Hampstead address. How he came to be buried in Cheltenham is a mystery. He has a private headstone, which also bears the names of two of his sisters, both St John Red Cross nurses. Eleanor Brewis died on 21 October 1918 at Brigadon Hospital, Buckfastleigh, Devon, aged 32: Robina Emma Brewis died at Hampstead on 30 April 1921, aged 29. Appearances suggest this to be a family plot, as their mother also appears to be buried there. She died at Hampstead in 1938; her husband died at Church Stretton, Shropshire in 1933. There is no obvious connection with Cheltenham to explain why their last resting place is in Cheltenham Cemetery.
Researched by Graham Adams 18 July 2011