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Service Record details for W.T Brooks (including Military Cross award)

held by Cornwall’s Regimental Museum in Bodmin

“Captain W.T.Brooks M.C.”

London Gazette – 14^th January 1916:

“His Majesty has been graciously pleased to approve the undermentioned Honours and Rewards for distinguished service in the field, with effect from 1^st January 1916.  M.C. Captain Walter Tyrrell Brooks.”

Service Record summary:

“Brookie” Brooks was born in 1884. He was commissioned into the DCLI in 1905 and served with the 1^st Battalion. 1905-08 at Woolwich and Gravesend.  He was then seconded to the King’s African Rifles and served with them until 1914.

He joined the 1^st Battalion as a Captain in November 1915, taking command of B Company.  On the night of 9^th/10^th December 1915 he organised a bombing enterprise against the German “Sandbag” trench near Maricourt. Two groups of raiders, under 2nd Lieuts, Buller and Hughesdon, entered the enemy trench destroying installations as they went. Careful co-operation with the artillery and machine-guns was achieved.  In his report to the 5^th Division, Brigadier Compton, Commanding   14^th Infantry Brigade made special mention of Captain Brooks’ organisation of the raid which went “like clockwork”. It seems most likely that his M.C. was awarded for this action.

On 17^th April 1916 he attended the funeral of Lieut-Colonel Cantan, commanding 1^st Battalion, who had been killed by a minenwerfer the previous day.  He later became ADC to the Divisional, later Corps Commander, in France.  He became Brigade Major and GSO 2, later GSO 1, with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force.  He was awarded the M.C., the Order of the Nile, 4^th Class (Major, M.C.), the French Croix de Guerre (Captain) and was mentioned in despatches four times.  He received Field promotions to Bt. Major and Bt. Lieut. Colonel. 

After the war he commanded a company at the RMC Sandhurst and he later commanded the Small Arms School.  He went to India 1927-9, returning in 1930 to command 2^nd DCLI at Aldershot.  In 1932 he went with the battalion to Gibraltar.  He was then Director of Military Training at the War Office returning to Gibraltar as AA and OMG.  In 1936 he commanded the Suez Canal Brigade.   Brigadier – General Brooks retired in 1940.  He died on 3^rd June 1965 at Tunbridge Wells, aged 81, leaving a widow, Edith.  His family was associated with the regiment for 130 years.

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