Cuthbert was killed while on active service with the King's Shropshire Light Infantry in Kenya, during a British Army campaign against the Kenyan Mau Mau.
With service number 67179, he was commissioned into the KSLI on 30th January 1936 and served with distinction during World War II. In 1950 he was posted to Bermuda as GSO II to the Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Bermuda. He previously served at Buckingham Palace, London.In Bermuda, he married a Bermudian, Joyce Arnell, the daughter of Bermudian Mrs. Helen Arnell. His brother-in-law was the late author, historian and philatelist Jack Arnell. On leaving Bermuda in 1952, Cuthbert and his wife Joyce, their three children - daughter Philippa and sons Robin and Bruce - returned to the family home in Church Stretton, Shropshire. His Army postings from there were
with the KSLI, Durham Light Infantry, Wuppertal in Germany with the DCLI - where he was 2nd in Command of that regiment, then Commanding Officer of his battalion of the KSLI in Kenya. He walked into an ambush in the Aberdere forests previously declared a KSLI ambush zone that had been set to lure the Mau Mau. He was 39 years old. He was shot in error by a Bren gunner member of his own unit, mortally wounded and died instantly, despite the best efforts of Captain George Pollock, RAMC) and an RAMC sergeant, both of whom attended the deceased moments after the event. It was recorded as a tragic accident. A Ministry of Defence official description of the circumstances of the death later stated:
"Lt Col (Brooke) Smith met his death accidentally as a result of shooting by his own troops whilst commanding 1 KSLI in East Africa. The battalion had arrived the previous month. Lt Col (Brooke) Smith had expressed a wish to visit one of his company ambush positions, and a message was sent requesting guides from the ambush position to escort the visiting party. Unfortunately owing to bad wireless operating conditions, the message was incorrectly received by the ambush patrol and as a result no guides arrived. Nevertheless Lt. Col. (Brooke) Smith decided to go part of the journey to the ambush position from a direction other than that usually taken and the patrol commander, hearing movement from an unexpected direction, mistook the two African trackers with Lt. Col.(Brooke) Smith's party for terrorists and the ambush patrol opened fire in the belief that a terrorist attack was being made. As soon as firing started an officer in the visiting party called out to identify himself, whereupon firing ceased. Unfortunately Lt. Col. (Brooke) Smith had been wounded and he died of his injuries before he could be evacuated."
He was buried in a civilian cemetery in a church graveyard in Nairobi, Kenya. Repatriation back to the UK of his remains from Nairobi, was believed to have been offered but declined by his family. However, his is one of the names commemorated both on the Church Stretton, Shropshire, war memorial and at the more recent National War Memorial in Staffordshire, England, in the latter case not under the name of Brooke-Smith but Smith.
He is remembered on the grave of Lieutenant Commander Francis Haffey Brooke-Smith GC at Hasketon, St Andrew Churchyard,Suffolk∼Male
Age: 39
Nationality: British
Buried: 19 July 1955
With service number 67179, he was commissioned into the KSLI on 30th January 1936 and served with distinction during World War II. In 1950 he was posted to Bermuda as GSO II to the Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Bermuda. He previously served at Buckingham Palace, London.In Bermuda, he married a Bermudian, Joyce Arnell, the daughter of Bermudian Mrs. Helen Arnell. His brother-in-law was the late author, historian and philatelist Jack Arnell. On leaving Bermuda in 1952, Cuthbert and his wife Joyce, their three children - daughter Philippa and sons Robin and Bruce - returned to the family home in Church Stretton, Shropshire. His Army postings from there were
with the KSLI, Durham Light Infantry, Wuppertal in Germany with the DCLI - where he was 2nd in Command of that regiment, then Commanding Officer of his battalion of the KSLI in Kenya. He walked into an ambush in the Aberdere forests previously declared a KSLI ambush zone that had been set to lure the Mau Mau. He was 39 years old. He was shot in error by a Bren gunner member of his own unit, mortally wounded and died instantly, despite the best efforts of Captain George Pollock, RAMC) and an RAMC sergeant, both of whom attended the deceased moments after the event. It was recorded as a tragic accident. A Ministry of Defence official description of the circumstances of the death later stated:
"Lt Col (Brooke) Smith met his death accidentally as a result of shooting by his own troops whilst commanding 1 KSLI in East Africa. The battalion had arrived the previous month. Lt Col (Brooke) Smith had expressed a wish to visit one of his company ambush positions, and a message was sent requesting guides from the ambush position to escort the visiting party. Unfortunately owing to bad wireless operating conditions, the message was incorrectly received by the ambush patrol and as a result no guides arrived. Nevertheless Lt. Col. (Brooke) Smith decided to go part of the journey to the ambush position from a direction other than that usually taken and the patrol commander, hearing movement from an unexpected direction, mistook the two African trackers with Lt. Col.(Brooke) Smith's party for terrorists and the ambush patrol opened fire in the belief that a terrorist attack was being made. As soon as firing started an officer in the visiting party called out to identify himself, whereupon firing ceased. Unfortunately Lt. Col. (Brooke) Smith had been wounded and he died of his injuries before he could be evacuated."
He was buried in a civilian cemetery in a church graveyard in Nairobi, Kenya. Repatriation back to the UK of his remains from Nairobi, was believed to have been offered but declined by his family. However, his is one of the names commemorated both on the Church Stretton, Shropshire, war memorial and at the more recent National War Memorial in Staffordshire, England, in the latter case not under the name of Brooke-Smith but Smith.
He is remembered on the grave of Lieutenant Commander Francis Haffey Brooke-Smith GC at Hasketon, St Andrew Churchyard,Suffolk∼Male
Age: 39
Nationality: British
Buried: 19 July 1955
Cuthbert was killed while on active service with the King's Shropshire Light Infantry in Kenya, during a British Army campaign against the Kenyan Mau Mau.
With service number 67179, he was commissioned into the KSLI on 30th January 1936 and served with distinction during World War II. In 1950 he was posted to Bermuda as GSO II to the Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Bermuda. He previously served at Buckingham Palace, London.In Bermuda, he married a Bermudian, Joyce Arnell, the daughter of Bermudian Mrs. Helen Arnell. His brother-in-law was the late author, historian and philatelist Jack Arnell. On leaving Bermuda in 1952, Cuthbert and his wife Joyce, their three children - daughter Philippa and sons Robin and Bruce - returned to the family home in Church Stretton, Shropshire. His Army postings from there were
with the KSLI, Durham Light Infantry, Wuppertal in Germany with the DCLI - where he was 2nd in Command of that regiment, then Commanding Officer of his battalion of the KSLI in Kenya. He walked into an ambush in the Aberdere forests previously declared a KSLI ambush zone that had been set to lure the Mau Mau. He was 39 years old. He was shot in error by a Bren gunner member of his own unit, mortally wounded and died instantly, despite the best efforts of Captain George Pollock, RAMC) and an RAMC sergeant, both of whom attended the deceased moments after the event. It was recorded as a tragic accident. A Ministry of Defence official description of the circumstances of the death later stated:
"Lt Col (Brooke) Smith met his death accidentally as a result of shooting by his own troops whilst commanding 1 KSLI in East Africa. The battalion had arrived the previous month. Lt Col (Brooke) Smith had expressed a wish to visit one of his company ambush positions, and a message was sent requesting guides from the ambush position to escort the visiting party. Unfortunately owing to bad wireless operating conditions, the message was incorrectly received by the ambush patrol and as a result no guides arrived. Nevertheless Lt. Col. (Brooke) Smith decided to go part of the journey to the ambush position from a direction other than that usually taken and the patrol commander, hearing movement from an unexpected direction, mistook the two African trackers with Lt. Col.(Brooke) Smith's party for terrorists and the ambush patrol opened fire in the belief that a terrorist attack was being made. As soon as firing started an officer in the visiting party called out to identify himself, whereupon firing ceased. Unfortunately Lt. Col. (Brooke) Smith had been wounded and he died of his injuries before he could be evacuated."
He was buried in a civilian cemetery in a church graveyard in Nairobi, Kenya. Repatriation back to the UK of his remains from Nairobi, was believed to have been offered but declined by his family. However, his is one of the names commemorated both on the Church Stretton, Shropshire, war memorial and at the more recent National War Memorial in Staffordshire, England, in the latter case not under the name of Brooke-Smith but Smith.
He is remembered on the grave of Lieutenant Commander Francis Haffey Brooke-Smith GC at Hasketon, St Andrew Churchyard,Suffolk∼Male
Age: 39
Nationality: British
Buried: 19 July 1955
With service number 67179, he was commissioned into the KSLI on 30th January 1936 and served with distinction during World War II. In 1950 he was posted to Bermuda as GSO II to the Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Bermuda. He previously served at Buckingham Palace, London.In Bermuda, he married a Bermudian, Joyce Arnell, the daughter of Bermudian Mrs. Helen Arnell. His brother-in-law was the late author, historian and philatelist Jack Arnell. On leaving Bermuda in 1952, Cuthbert and his wife Joyce, their three children - daughter Philippa and sons Robin and Bruce - returned to the family home in Church Stretton, Shropshire. His Army postings from there were
with the KSLI, Durham Light Infantry, Wuppertal in Germany with the DCLI - where he was 2nd in Command of that regiment, then Commanding Officer of his battalion of the KSLI in Kenya. He walked into an ambush in the Aberdere forests previously declared a KSLI ambush zone that had been set to lure the Mau Mau. He was 39 years old. He was shot in error by a Bren gunner member of his own unit, mortally wounded and died instantly, despite the best efforts of Captain George Pollock, RAMC) and an RAMC sergeant, both of whom attended the deceased moments after the event. It was recorded as a tragic accident. A Ministry of Defence official description of the circumstances of the death later stated:
"Lt Col (Brooke) Smith met his death accidentally as a result of shooting by his own troops whilst commanding 1 KSLI in East Africa. The battalion had arrived the previous month. Lt Col (Brooke) Smith had expressed a wish to visit one of his company ambush positions, and a message was sent requesting guides from the ambush position to escort the visiting party. Unfortunately owing to bad wireless operating conditions, the message was incorrectly received by the ambush patrol and as a result no guides arrived. Nevertheless Lt. Col. (Brooke) Smith decided to go part of the journey to the ambush position from a direction other than that usually taken and the patrol commander, hearing movement from an unexpected direction, mistook the two African trackers with Lt. Col.(Brooke) Smith's party for terrorists and the ambush patrol opened fire in the belief that a terrorist attack was being made. As soon as firing started an officer in the visiting party called out to identify himself, whereupon firing ceased. Unfortunately Lt. Col. (Brooke) Smith had been wounded and he died of his injuries before he could be evacuated."
He was buried in a civilian cemetery in a church graveyard in Nairobi, Kenya. Repatriation back to the UK of his remains from Nairobi, was believed to have been offered but declined by his family. However, his is one of the names commemorated both on the Church Stretton, Shropshire, war memorial and at the more recent National War Memorial in Staffordshire, England, in the latter case not under the name of Brooke-Smith but Smith.
He is remembered on the grave of Lieutenant Commander Francis Haffey Brooke-Smith GC at Hasketon, St Andrew Churchyard,Suffolk∼Male
Age: 39
Nationality: British
Buried: 19 July 1955
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