Remembrance - The Yorkshire Regiment, First World War 2nd Lieutenant Eric William BRODRICK Close window to return to main page

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2nd Lieutenant Eric William BRODRICK
5th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Son of the late Rev. F. E. and Mrs. Brodrick, of Farnley Rectory, near Leeds; husband of Margaret Lucie Brodrick, of East Keswick, Leeds. Died 23 July 1916. Aged 35.
Buried LARCH WOOD (RAILWAY CUTTING) CEMETERY.
The following biographical information is taken from Roberts Coulson's Biographies of Officers of the Yorkshire Regiment;-
"Eric Brodrick was born at Farnley near Leeds on April 24th 1881 and was educated at St Georges School, Roundhay and Bradford Grammar School.
He went to the Phillipines in 1902 where he worked as a Province Agent and was home on leave when war broke out. He joined the Royal Fusiliers Public Schools Battalion and then transferred to the Inns of Court Officer Training Corps.
He was commissioned in March of 1915 and married Miss Lucie Moon at East Keswick near Leeds on April 17th 1915. Eric Brodrick joined the 5th Battalion of the Yorkshires later in 1915.
The Spring of 1916 was spent by the battalion at various locations around the Ypres Salient including actions at the Bluff and Hill 60. In May they were at Eecke north west of Bailleul where 2nd Lt Brodrick and the battalion were inspected by General Sir Hubert Plumer, CO of the 2nd army.
They then moved back into the salient taking part in a large attack against an enemy mine crater on July 10th. It was just after this that Eric Brodrick was wounded and captured during a night patrol near Kemmel.
He died from his wounds in enemy hands around 22/23rd of July 1916 at the age of 35. Eric Brodrick was buried by the enemy in one of their battlefield cemeteries, but today his grave lies in Larch Wood Cemetery at Zillebeke to the south east of Ypres, his body being one of many that were brought in during clearances after the war.
Eric William Brodrick was the son of the late Reverend F E Brodrick and his wife Jane of Farnley Rectory near Leeds and the husband of Margaret Lucie Brodrick of East Keswick, Leeds.
His colonel later wrote to his parents,
“The whole battalion, officers and men sorrow with you. We all loved your son and his men would have done anything for him”.
Eric Brodrick’s daughter Erica was born after his death in September 1916."

The photo of 2nd Lieutenant Brodrick was provided by Chris Haigh (<haighcduk@yahoo.co.uk>).
Chris Haigh's daughter, Ruth, has researched a brief biography of 2nd Lieutenant Brodrick, which may be read by selecting the link below which will open up a PDF file.

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