Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Portrait Drawing of Lieutenant A. W. Jennings Bramley, 230mm x 160mm, unsigned, mounted in a contemporary gilt glazed frame, some damage to moulded edges of frame, otherwise good condition £160-200

Alfred William Jennings Bramley, was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the 42nd Highlanders (Black Watch) on 15 March 1855, and served with the Regiment at the siege and fall of Sebastopol from July 1855. Promoted Lieutenant on 2 October 1855, he served in India during the Great Sepoy Mutiny, and was mortally wounded at Fort Ruhya on 15 April 1858. Private James Davis, of his company takes up the story:

‘I belonged to the Light Company under the command of Captain Macleod. I was on the right of the ditch with Lieutenant Alfred Jennings Bramley of Tunbridge Wells, as brave a young officer as ever drew a sword, and saw a large force coming out to cut us off. Bramley said to me: “Try and shoot the leader. I will run down and tell Macleod.”
The leader was shot, but before poor Bramley got down he was shot in the temple. Captain Macleod said: “We cannot leave him. Who will take him out?”
I said: “I will.” The fort was firing hard all the time. I said: ‘Eadie, give me a hand. Put him on my back.”
As he was doing so poor Eadie was shot in the back of the head, knocking me down, his blood running down my back. A man crawled over and I pulled Eadie off. At the time I thought I was shot.
Captain Macleod said: “We cannot lose anymore lives. Are you wounded?”
I replied: “I don’t think I am.”
Captain Macleod replied: “Will you still take Lieutenant Bramley out?”
I replied: “Yes.”
He was such a brave young officer that the company loved him I got him on my back again and told him to take me tight round the neck. I ran across the open space. During the time his watch fell out; I did not like to leave it so I sat down and picked it up, all the time under a heavy fire. Afterwards I went back again through the same fire, and helped to take up the mean Eadie. Then I returned for my rile, and firing a volley, we all left. Lieutenant Bramley died during the night.’ (The Victoria Crosses that saved an Empire, by Brian Best refers).

For his gallantry in carrying his body back, Private Davis was awarded the Victoria Cross: ‘For conspicuous gallantry, at the attack on the Fort of Ruhya, when with an advanced party, to point out the gate of the Fort to the Engineer Officer, Private Davis offered to carry the body of Lieutenant Bramley, who was killed at this point, to the Regiment. He performed this duty, of danger and affection under the very walls of the Fort.’ (London Gazette 27 May 1859).