Major General Sir James Browne, RE, KCSI, CB (1839-1896)
/Major General Sir James Browne K.C.S.I.,CB. is commemorated by a memorial in the North Quire Aisle.
Inscription reads:
In Memory of
Major General Sir James Browne K.C.S.I.,CB.
Royal (late Bengal) Engineers who died at Quetta on 13th June 1896
when Agent to the Governor General of India in
Beluchistan, aged 56.
Distinguished alike as a brave soldier,
a scientific and able engineer, anaccomplished linguist,
he was above all one who ruled over men in the fear of God,
and won the warm affeftion of all who served under him,
whether European or Asiatics.
"Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life."
Jude 21.
Son of Robert Browne MD, he was born at Havre September 16th 1839. He was commissioned into the Royal Bengal Engineers on December 11th 1857. Posted to the H.Q. of the Bengal Sappers and Miners at Roorkee, he was appointed to command two companies of Sappers attached to the force of Major Gereral Sir Neville Chamberlain for an expedition against it to the Mahsud Waziris. He was present at the capture of the Burrera Pass batestand carried out most of the demolition and mining operations under Capt. Pollard, Commanding the Royal Engineers. On the conclusion of the campaign Browne was posted to the Public Works Department at Attock on the Indus, and had charge of the road construction to Peshawur. He built the bridge over the Bara River and the stunnel drift under the Indus. Here he gained knowledge of the Afghans that was to prove so useful to him in later years.
Major General Sir James Browne KCSI, CB.. Sir James is wearing the Order of the Star of India, the badge of a Companion of the Order of the Bath, The Turkish Order of Osmanich, the India General Service Medal 1854, The Afghanistan Medal 1878-80, The Egypt Medal 1882 and the Khedive Star.
After serving for two years as Assistant Engineer he was promoted to the grade of Executive Engineer and given charge of the Kohat and Peshnemsbavur Divisions is a great responsibility for a subaltern of only six years seniority.
He served in the Ambala (Umbeyla) Campaign of October 1863, again under General Chamberlain, as Assistant Field Engineer. He was present and twice wounded. He was mentioned in despatches several times, and on his promotion to second captain in 1870 was given a brevet majority in recognition of his services.
In 1864 he was appointed Assistant Principal of Thomason College, at Roorkee, but after a short time became Executive Engineer for the Lahore Division, Punjab. Shortly after this he was transferred to the Kangra Division and built the Kangra Valley Road. This proved to be a most difficult task, especially in the matter of bridge construction.
For his paper on "Mountain Roads", based on his experience in the Kangra Valley, he was awarded the Telford Prize by the Institute of Civil Engineens.
He took two years furlough in 1871 and travelled to Europe, Canada, USA, and Mexico to study different methods of railway construction and railway bridge building. On rejoining the Public Works Dept. in 1873 he was given charge of the Dalhousie Division and was employed in building bridges, in other parts of Inada-including the suspension bridge "aTeoftaer98the Jumna at Khalli, and large iron bridges for the N. W. Provinces. In 1874 he carried out work for the water supply to Dalhousie.
At this time the question of constructing a railway into Baluchistan was raised and in 1876 Browne was sent to survey the line from Sukkur to Quetta, and start the work for cantonments in the latter place. Here again he made himsel futhoroughly acquainted with the country and the inhabitants.
In the following year he was summoned to Simla to consult with the Viceroy, Lord Lytton, who was so struck with his knowledge of native peoples that he employed him under the Foreign Office to keep the government informed of the state of feeling among the natives, and to use his influence to keep them on the side of the British in the coming troubles with Afghanistan.
During the Afghan War he was frequently mentioned in despatches by Sir Donald Stewart and Sir Michael Biddulph, and at the conclusion of the war he was made a Companion of the Star of India in recognition of his distinguished services. After the war he took leave in Bugi and was consulted on the question of the defence of the frontier of India. On his return to India in 1881 he was promoted brevet colonel and employed on railway survey in Central Provinces, being appointed Assistant Secretary Public Works Department, Punjab.
1882 saw him as the commander of the Royal Engineers of the Indian shag . Contingent cin Beypt in the campaign against Arabi Pasha. He was at the battle of Tel-el-Kebir. Twice mentioned in despatches he was created a Companion of the Bath and received the Turkish Order of Osmanieh. On his return to India he became Deputy Inspector General.*
In the following year he was selected to construct the raiIway through Hurnai Pass from Sibi to Peshawur and Quetta. This was a tremendous task but the line was completed in 1887 and formerly opened by the Duke and Duchess of Connaught. For this he was created a KCST on 1st Jan 1869. The following year he was made Quarter Master General of the Army of India by Lord Roberts and promoted Major General.
In 1892 he returned to Baluchistan to succeed Sir Robert Sandeman as Agent General and Chief Commissioner to the Governor of Baluchistan. He remained there until his death on 13th June 1896.
On 14th November 1882, Sir Garnet Wolseley issued his last despatch with reference to the troops in Egypt. It appeared: in a special supplement to the Gazette, and was addressed to the Secretary of State for War.
"Sir,- I regret very much that in my anxiety to lay before her Majesty the Queen the names of the officers who deserve special mention for their services during the late campaign, I omitted some names which I have now the honour to bring to your notice.
Colonel J.Browne C.S.I., commanding the Royal Engineers Of the Indian SE- Contingent, and Lieutenant -Colonel Van Straubenzee, commanding the Royel Artillery, of the Indian Contingent, are both most deserving officers. They are both reconmended to me by Sir Herbert: Macpherson for their ability with which they conducted their duties.
From the notebooks ‘The Naval and Military Memorials of Rochester Cathedral’ (1979)
by Roy Trett, OBE, TD,
Rochester Cathedral Chapter Library
The medieval tombs of the Presbytery and Quire Transept have had a tortured history which many effigies apparently moved and several defaced along with the medieval memorials and brasses over the Early Modern period.
Rochester Cathedral features an exceptionally large collection of Colonial-era military memorials and artefacts. This series has begun to highlight the stories behind these collections and their place in our global heritage.
