British Army Veterinary Corps
John Wilson BROWNLESS
Lieutenant
Died 16 June 1915 · Aged 40
His story
Lieutenant John Wilson Brownless MRCVS was born in 1875, the son of John and Mrs Hannah Brownless of Castle Eden, County Durham.
He qualified from the Royal (Dick) Veterinary College, Edinburgh in May 1897 and was awarded the 2nd Fitzwygram Prize that year.
During the South African War, he served as a Civilian Veterinary Surgeon with the Army Veterinary Department attached to the Royal Scots Greys as a Veterinary Officer and received both the Queen’s and King’s South African Medals. On return to the United Kingdom, he practised in Kensington and Barnes, London.
On the outbreak of war, he was initially engaged in Army veterinary work at home but volunteered for active service and received a commission as a temporary Lieutenant in the Army Veterinary Corps in March 1915. He served in the Dardanelles campaign and was attached to the 1/4th Highland Mountain Brigade, Royal Garrison Artillery of 29th Division.
On the 16th June 1915, he was tending to wounded horses of his brigade while under fire. The War Diary of the Assistant Director of Veterinary Services of the 29th Division records on the 16th of June:
“Lt Brownless killed this morning at Gully Beach by a stray enemy rifle bullet during the performance of his professional duties.”
He was 40 years old and is buried at Pink Farm Cemetery Turkey. Grave Number IV. A.3
Lieutenant Brownless’s obituary notice appears in The Veterinary Record 10 July 1915.
Photographs and documents
Before the war
- Nationality
- British
- Date of Birth
- 1875
- Place of Birth
- Durham, County Durham, England
- Veterinary College and Date of Graduation
- Edinburgh - May 1897
Military service
- Last Rank
- Lieutenant
- Regiment/Service
- British Army Veterinary Corps
- Secondary Regiment
- Royal Garrison Artillery
- First Theatre of War
- Gallipoli 1915
Medals and commemoration
- Name on RCVS Honour Board
- Yes
- Name In Officers who died in Great War
- Yes
- Medals and Awards
- 1914/15 Star; British War Medal 1914-1918; Victory Medal
Death and burial
- Date of Death
- 16 June 1915
- Age at Death
- 40
- Place of Death
- Gallipoli, Turkey
- Cause of Death
- Wounds in action caused by enemy rifle fire
- Cemetery
- Pink Farm Cemetery
- Location
- Gallipoli, Turkey
- Grave Reference
- Grave Number IV.A.3
- Commonwealth War Grave
- Yes - Gallipoli Marker
- Emblem or Badge on Headstone
- Cross
Sources and further reading
- CWGC casualty and commemoration record
- Find a Grave memorial
- The Veterinary Record, 10 July 1915 — cited in the earlier biography
- War diary entry noting Brownless’s death — reproduced document
- Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer 28 June 1915 — reproduced document
Cite this biography
Graham Hodgkins and Pete Matthews, “John Wilson Brownless”, Veterinary Virtual War Memorial, https://vetsremembered.org/people/john_wilson_brownless/.
Contribute information
Can you add a letter, family photograph or document that tells us more about his life before service? Please give its source and any permission needed for display.