The People: Soldiers |
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Michael Broun was present in the Sudan campaign of 1885 with the South Staffordshire Regiment and may have fought at the battle of Abu Klea in January 1885. Later he served in Uganda and by the end of the century as a Colonial Officer in Nigeria.
The collection of African artefacts, together with some natural history specimens, was given to the Museum in 1948 by his widow, then living in Teignmouth. The majority of items were collected in East and West Africa. Items from the Hudson’s Bay area of Canada, Mexico and India were also included in the donation.
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In keeping with family tradition, George Elliot joined the Royal Marines in 1827. He served in South America in the 1830s, China in 1841 and 1842 during the first Opium War. He fought at Canton and Shanghai and was present on HMS Cornwallis for the signing of the Nanking Treaty, August 26th 1842. He later served in Odessa and the Mediterranean.
He retired in 1859 and thereafter lived in Heavitree for many years. He died in 1892, aged 90. His donations include natural history and 'curiosities', many collected during his time in China, including the money cat, in May 1841.
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Francis Alexander Fortescue was born into a military family in 1858 and entered the army in 1879. He served in Afghanistan in 1879-1880, Egypt in 1883-7 and South Africa in 1881 and again as a Colonel of the General Staff in 1908-1909.
He retired to Devon with the rank of Brigadier General in 1918. He gave collection of Zulu items, mostly beadwork, to the museum in 1935; although we do not know when he collected them, it is most likely to have been between 1908-0
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George Truscott donated the Burmese dry lacquer Buddha to the museum in 1827. He was the 6th and youngest son of Rear-Admiral William Truscott. Entering the Navy in 1793, he was made Lieutenant in 1805 and Commander in 1812. From 1794-96 he served in the Mediterranean and from1799-1806 in the West Indies and the Channel.
In 1811 while serving on the frigate Captain Edward Galwey, he invented a device called the 'Force Pump' by which fresh water was obtained from the hold without disturbing the stowage. From 1813-15 he commanded the sloop Havoc on the North Sea, Channel and American stations. He was made Captain in 1845. He died between 1845 and 1852.
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