THE EGYPT MEDAL 1882-89 NAMED TO DRIVER W.R. BROWRING, ROYAL HORSE ARTILLERY, WHO SAW SERVICE DURING THE BOER WAR AND WAS AWARDED THE ROYAL HUMANE SOCIETY'S LIFESAVING MEDAL IN BRONZE. Egypt Medal 1882-89, undated reverse, 1 clasp, Suakin 1885 (renamed, engraved in contemporary plain, sloping block capitals: 46846 Dr. W.R. BROWRING. R.H.A.). Polished, Good Fine to Almost Very Fine.
Medal accompanied by biographical details, 5 pages copied service papers, 1885 Embarkation List extract, extract Queen's South Africa Medal roll, confirming Brownring entitled QSA with 4 clasps, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill, Cape Colony and Orange Free State, and Royal Humane Society case record and citation.
William Richard Browring (1866-1922) was born in July 1866 in Southampton, Hampshire, the son of George and Martha Mary (nee Hunter) Browring. He enlisted into the Royal Horse Artillery at Colchester on 28/1/1885. At the time of enlistment Browring was 19 years and 4 months old, gave his trade as labourer, stated that he had previously seen service in the 3rd Essex Volunteers, and saw service initially with the rank of Driver, "A" Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery.
Embarkation record confirms that Browring, then 20 years of age, embarked at Portsmouth for India aboard the Jumna on 10/10/1885 (surname spelt Browning on transcript of embarkation record).
Browring never rose above the rank of Driver, transferred to the Army Reserve on 23/1/1892, was discharged on 22/1/1897, but re-enlisted into the 1st Class Army Reserve for 4 years on 12/2/1897. As a result, Browring was recalled to army service following the outbreak of the Boer War, being posted for service with "T" Battery, Royal Horse Artillery, on 2/5/1900. He never rose above the rank of Driver during the Boer War and was discharged for a second time on 11/2/1902. Service papers confirm that, in addition to service at home, Browring saw service in India from 10/10/1885 to 10/11/1891 and in South Africa from 25/3/1900 to 511902.
William Browring is recorded in the 1911 census as a 44 year old furniture dealer living in Portsmouth. He died in Portsmouth in September 1822 at 56 years of age.
Browring's Royal Humane Society Medal, bronze, case number 24,726, was awarded for an act of gallantry in 1889 "William R. Browning, Driver, R.H.A., at great personal risk, rescued two coolies from drowning in the River Chenab, at Sealkote, on the 14th August 1889. "
Browring's Royal Humane Society Medal was sold at Noonan's (then Dix Noonan Webb) on 2/4/2004 (lot 955)
Browring was not entitled to the Egypt Medal, never having seen service in Egypt during any of the campaigns there, and the Suakin campaign of 1st March - 14th May 1885 was long over before Browring sailed for India in October 1885. The medal thus probably a "self-award", and, as such, an interesting curiosity (even if the troopship Browring went out to India on stopped off at the port of Suakin whilst on the way to India, he would not have been entitled to the Suakin 1885 clasp, or even the Egypt Medal without clasp).
