Major Guy Percy Lumsden Drake-Brockman DSO MC Canadian Army

[Larry Hayward]

I'm looking for information on Major Guy Percy Lumsden Drake-Brockman DSO MC who enlisted in the Canadian Army circa 9th Jan 1942 (?), after a disgraceful Court Marshall by the British Army in 1940, as follows;

Lt Col Guy Percy Lumsden Drake-Brockman DSO MC, Royal Tank Regiment was found guilty of behaviour prejudicial to good order and discipline of His Majesty's Forces and dismissed from the British Army on 14th November 1940after ‘assaulting’ two German officers from a Ju88 that crashed on 17th Sept 1940 on Salisbury Plain.

The incident which resulted in his dismissal came while he was commanding 21st Army Tank Brigade in Southern England. He struck two German Officers who were brought before him after Spitfires had shot down their bomber, as he explained; "They spat on the floor, spat on my shoes, then spat on me and called me a bloody English swine. I don't know who could stand this spitting and insulting, this arrogance and beastliness, but I could not."

in 1914 Drake-Brockman was a Lieutenant in the Border Regiment and won the Military Cross on 29th June 1915 in France, was Mentioned in Dispatches four times and received a DSO for distinguished service in connection with British Military Operations in Murmansk, North Russia 1918-1919. He was a career Officer and in 1927 transferred the Royal Armoured Corps that was in its infancy.

After his Court Marshall and anxious to get into the fight again in the Second World War under the colours of the empire, Guy Drake-Brockman enlisted in the Canadian Army as a Canadian Trooper on 9th January, scrubbing floors, carrying coal and standing sentry duty. Drake-Brockman's promotion, in a single step from Private to the rank of Major, came through in a matter of weeks, which left him "dumbfounded" though pleasantly surprised. "Great Country, this Canada," he declared enthusiastically.

He died in 1952 and is buried in Africa

Any info on his subsequent Canadian Army career greatly appreciated.

[maple_leaf_eh]

Sounds like my kind of officer.

[Larry Hayward]

My thoughts too!

I'd love to know if he ever did any more fighting!

[David Dunlop]

Larry.

He died in Natal, South Africa in late 1952 and his Will was Probated in England in early 1953. The Toronto Newspapers ran a brief obituary referencing him as LtCol Percy Drake-Brockman.

He married in early 1920's and had a Son and Daughter.

On 24 February 1945, he entered the USA at Buffalo, New York on route to Washington, DC. He was going to stay at an address on Connecticut St in Washington, but I have no idea why. He returned to Canada via Buffalo mid April. Probably traveled via train.

His wife was still alive and living on Vancouver, BC as of 2003.

If there are any Canadian Military records for him, they might be under the name quoted in the Toronto papers.

David

[Larry Hayward]

Sadly the National Archives of Canada show up nothing on a search, and the internet shows many Drake-Brockhams from all over the world but not the one I'm interested in. Incidentally my interest stems from the fact that my father witness the Ju88 being shot down during the BoB

[David Dunlop]

Hello again, Larry.

It is tough finding information on this chap!

He remarried in Toronto, Canada 22 October 1942 to Vera Mary McLeod Harrison-Topham and they had a daughter, born in Toronto, 03 December 1944 (Jennifer Anne). At that time, he is noted as being a member of the Canadian Armoured Corps. Rank unknown.


David