Orders, Decorations and Medals

Ashantee 1873-74, no clasp (Major A. Bravo, 2nd W.I. Regt. 1873-4) with silver ribbon buckle, scratched over surname, otherwise good very fine £300-350

Alexander Bravo was gazetted Ensign in July 1849, becoming Lieutenant in February 1850 and Captain in September 1854. He served during the second Ashantee War of 1863-64 when, in December 1863 he left Nassau for Jamaica in command of ‘B’ Company, 1st W.I.R., embarked in H.M.S. Barracouta. In February 1864 he accompanied his company to Honduras, and the following month it was one of three companies that sailed to Cape Coast Castle, arriving there on 9 April 1864. Here the unit prepared for an expedition against Coomassie and towards the end of the month they marched through torrential rain to the Prah River. The force reached the river at the Prahsu Ford and here, in a primeval forest beside a pestilential stream and without proper shelter or food, it remained for nearly three months. By the end of the month, out of the 7 officers and 214 men who had left Cape Coast Castle, 4 officers and 102 men were sick. There was little proper medical care and the sick had to lie on sodden ground.

At the end of May 1864 the garrison at Prahsu was reduced to 100 men under Captain Bravo, although by the middle of June 57 of them were sick. Finally the Imperial Government ordered a cessation of hostilities against the Ashantees, news of this reaching Bravo on 26 June. After several days spent destroying stores, guns and ammunition that had been stockpiled for future expeditions, Bravo led his men back to the coast where the survivors embarked for the West Indies.

Given the brevet of Major in December 1868, and confirmed in that rank in August 1871, Bravo served with the 2nd West India Regiment during the Ashantee War of 1873-74 (Medal). He was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in August 1874 and retired by sale of his commission shortly afterwards.