Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War ‘Western Front’ M.M. group of seven awarded to Sergeant H. Brooksbank, 5th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment

Military Medal, G.V.R. (58 Sjt: H. Brooksbank. 5/York: R. T.F.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 6 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill, Belfast, South Africa 1901 (7340 Pte. H. Brooksbank, Vol. Coy. York: Regt.); 1914-15 Star (58 Sjt. H. Brooksbank. York. R.); British War and Victory Medals (58 Sjt. H. Brooksbank. York. R.); Defence Medal; Territorial Force Efficiency Medal, G.V.R., with additional clasp (58 Sjt: H. Brooksbank. 5/York: R.) mounted as worn, generally nearly very fine (7) £400-£500

M.M. London Gazette 27 October 1916

A local newspaper reported the following: ‘Sergeant H. Brooksbank, Yorkshire Regiment, of Scarborough, who received the Military Medal for continuous devotion to duty and bravery in the field. When under heavy fire he crossed the open and went to the assistance of a dangerously wounded man and safely conveyed him to a dressing station. Later, though warned of snipers, he took the man to the nearest clearing station.’

His death was reported under the heading ‘Scarboro’ Veteran of Boer War Dies. A South African war veteran and a freeman of Richmond, Mr Herbert Brooksbank, died in Scarborough Hospital yesterday at the age of 86. Mr Brooksbank volunteered for service abroad at the out break of the Boer War and went to South Africa with the first volunteer contingent from Scarborough in 1900. Two years later he received the freedom of Richmond, his native town, as a member of the 1st Volunteer Service Company of the Yorkshire Regiment. As a territorial he was called up for military service in the First World War, and he went to France in April 1915 with the 5th Bn., the Yorkshire Regiment, in which he served until February 1919. He was awarded the Military Medal and received it from King George V at Hull in June 1917. In the last war he was second in command of the local railway company of the Home Guard until his retirement after 50 year’s railway service in 1942. Mr Brooksbank was well known to business people in the town as L.N.E.R. townsman and collector for about 20 years. He began his railway service at Richmond goods station in 1892 and five years later transferred to Scarborough. He was a life member of the Green Howards Association and was present when King Haakon of Norway, then Colonel in Chief of the regiment, received the freedom of Richmond. Although he formerly lived at 3 Newlands Park Avenue he had lately gone to live with his daughter at 522 Scalby Road. He is survived by his daughter and two sons.’