The Brackenbury boys
When we remember those who fought
for their country we tend to think of the Great War of 1914-18 but many of
our young men also served and many died in the second world conflict on
1939-45.
Few families were not touched by either but none can possibly equal the
record of one from which ten brothers were on war service at the same
time, the Brackenbury boys from Twenty, near Bourne.
They were the sons of Albert Henry Brackenbury (died 1947) and his wife.
They were:
Lance Corporal Thomas Henry Brackenbury (1906-72), the eldest, who
volunteered for army service at the outbreak of the war and was then with
a battery of the Royal Artillery somewhere on England, later serving North
Africa, Sicily, Italy and Germany. His wife lived at Bicker, near
Spalding, where he later farmed.
Private Edward Brackenbury, another early volunteer, was also with
the Royal Artillery in England. His wife lived at 17 Ayscoughee Avenue,
Spalding.
Corporal Fred Brackenbury was serving in India with the Royal Air
Force having also volunteered at the outbreak of the war in 1939. His wife
lived at 72 Marsh Rails Road, Spalding.
Private Arthur Brackenbury had been in the regular army for
thirteen years, having volunteered in 1930, and was serving as a despatch
rider. Soon after the outbreak of the war he was drafted to France and
later evacuated a Dunkirk. He had also served in Hong Kong, China and
India. His wife was living at 12 Johnson Avenue, Spalding.
Guardsman Charles Brackenbury joined the Coldstream Guards in 1940
soon after the outbreak of the war and was serving in England.
Private Henry Brackenbury was a prisoner of war in Germany. He had
joined the regular army two years before the war started and was sent to
France in 1939 and evacuated at Dunkirk.
Private Victor Brackenbury volunteered for military service in
1938, before the war started, and served for a spell in Iceland but was
discharged in 1943 on medical grounds.
Privates Harry and Joseph Brackenbury were twins who had
joined the army in May 1943 having been members of the local Home Guard.
Private Tony Brackenbury, the youngest of the sons, was a soldier
with the Territorial Army when the war broke out when he was called up for
regular service in 1939. He was now serving in India.
All of the brothers returned safely from the war, unlike many other
servicemen from the small towns and villages of South Lincolnshire and
founded families of their own. Although born in different places such as
Wigtoft, Algakirk, Gosberton, Swineshead and Donington, all considered
Bourne to be their home town and their descendants think the same.
One of them, Jonathon Brackenbury, grandson of the eldest son, Thomas, who
lives in Boston, said that research indicated that this family's ancestors
were the Brackenburys of the southern Lincolnshire Wolds who lived in
places such as Spilsby, Scremby and Raithby, and are related to other
branches in the western part of Lincolnshire and South Yorkshire.
"There are thousands in America descended from the handful who sailed from
Lincolnshire on the first waves of immigration in the 1630s", he said,
"while the Australian and New Zealand branches relate to some of those
transported in the early 1800s. These are reputed to include connections
with Fletcher Christian, Joseph Banks and Matthew Flinders as well as Sir
John Franklin's expeditions and so we have a long and interesting
history."
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