73 Facts About Frederick Browning

Frederick Browning was an Olympic bobsleigh competitor, and the husband of author Daphne du Maurier.

In January 1948, Frederick Browning became comptroller and treasurer to Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh.

Frederick Browning died at Menabilly, the mansion that inspired his wife's novel Rebecca, on 14 March 1965.

Frederick Arthur Montague Browning was born on 20 December 1896 at his family home at 31 Hans Road, Brompton, London.

Frederick Browning was the first son of Frederick Henry Browning, a wine merchant, and his wife Anne "Nancy" nee Alt.

Frederick Browning had one sibling, an older sister, Helen Grace.

Frederick Browning was educated at West Downs School and Eton College, which his grandfather had attended.

Frederick Browning sat the entrance examinations for the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, on 24 November 1914.

Frederick Browning graduated on 16 June 1915, and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Grenadier Guards.

When Frederick Browning discovered that Churchill had no greatcoat, Frederick Browning gave Churchill his own.

Frederick Browning was invalided back to England with trench fever in January 1916, and, although only hospitalised for four weeks, was not passed as fit for service at the front until 20 September, and did not rejoin the 2nd Battalion at the front until 6 October 1916.

Frederick Browning fought in the Battle of Pilckem Ridge on 31 July 1917, the Battle of Poelcappelle on 9 October and the Battle of Cambrai in November.

Frederick Browning distinguished himself at Cambrai and was later awarded the Distinguished Service Order, usually given only to officers in command, above the rank of lieutenant-colonel.

Frederick Browning took command of three companies whose officers had all become casualties, reorganised them, and proceeded to consolidate.

Frederick Browning was awarded the French Croix de Guerre on 14 December 1917, the same month he was made an acting captain, a rank he held until December 1920, and was mentioned in despatches on 23 May 1918.

In September 1918, during the Hundred Days Offensive which saw the tide of the war turn in favour of the Allies, Frederick Browning temporarily became aide de camp to General Sir Henry Rawlinson, commander of the British Fourth Army.

Frederick Browning was promoted to the temporary rank of captain, and appointed adjutant of the 1st Grenadier Guards, then part of the 3rd Guards Brigade of the Guards Division, in November 1918.

Frederick Browning was granted the substantive rank of captain on 24 November 1920.

Frederick Browning retained his post as adjutant until November 1921, when he was posted to the Guards' Depot at Caterham Barracks.

Frederick Browning was the first adjutant, during the Sovereign's Parade of 1926, to ride his horse up the steps of Old College and to dismount in the Grand Entrance.

Frederick Browning relinquished the appointment of adjutant at Sandhurst on 28 April 1928, and was promoted to major on 22 May 1928.

Frederick Browning's workload was very light, allowing plenty of time for sport.

Frederick Browning did however make the Olympic five-man bobsleigh team as brake-man.

Frederick Browning was a keen sailor, competing in the Household Cavalry Sailing Regatta at Chichester Harbour in 1930.

Frederick Browning purchased his own motor boat, a 20-foot cabin cruiser that he named Ygdrasil.

In 1931, Frederick Browning read Daphne du Maurier's novel The Loving Spirit and, impressed by its graphic depictions of the Cornish coastline, set out to see it for himself on Ygdrasil.

Frederick Browning heard that the author of the book that had impressed him so much was convalescing from an appendix operation, and invited her out on his boat.

Frederick Browning was promoted to lieutenant-colonel on 1 February 1936, and was appointed commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion, Grenadier Guards.

Frederick Browning remained in this position for a month before becoming the school's commandant, which saw him promoted to the acting rank of brigadier.

Frederick Browning recommended Browning for the command of a division, as did Lieutenant-General Francis Nosworthy, commanding IV Corps, and Lieutenant-General Guy Williams, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Eastern Command, although all three believed that Browning needed more time and experience.

In late February 1941, after handing over the brigade to Brigadier Manley James, Frederick Browning succeeded Brigadier The Hon.

Such was his popularity by now within the 128th Brigade, that when Frederick Browning left his old command many members of the brigade turned out to cheer him on and wish him well.

On 3 November 1941, Frederick Browning was promoted to the acting rank of major-general, and appointed as the first General Officer Commanding of the newly created 1st Airborne Division.

Frederick Browning supervised the newly formed division as it underwent a prolonged period of expansion and intensive training, with new brigades raised and assigned to the division, and new equipment tested.

Frederick Browning stated that he needed 96 aircraft to get the 1st Airborne Division battle-ready.

In July 1942, Browning travelled to the United States, where he toured airborne training facilities with his American counterpart, Major-General William C Lee, who soon took command of the US 101st Airborne Division.

Frederick Browning was envious of the Americans' equipment, particularly the Douglas C-47 transport aircraft.

Frederick Browning felt that the inexperience with handling airborne operations extended to Eisenhower's Allied Force Headquarters and that of the British First Army, resulting in the paratroops being misused.

Frederick Browning felt that had they been employed more aggressively and in greater strength they might have shortened the Tunisian campaign by some months.

On 1 January 1943, Frederick Browning was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath.

Frederick Browning relinquished command of the 1st Airborne Division to Hopkinson in March 1943 to take up a new post as Major-General, Airborne Forces at Eisenhower's AFHQ.

Frederick Browning soon clashed with the commander of the American 82nd Airborne Division, Major-General Matthew Ridgway.

When Browning asked to see the plans for Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily, Ridgway replied that they would not be available for scrutiny until after they had been approved by the US Seventh Army commander, Lieutenant-General George S Patton.

When Frederick Browning protested, Patton backed Ridgway, but Eisenhower and his chief of staff, Major-General Walter Bedell Smith, supported Frederick Browning and forced them to back down.

Frederick Browning concluded that to be effective, the airborne advisor had to have equal rank with the army commanders.

In September 1943, Frederick Browning travelled to India, where he inspected the 50th Parachute Brigade, and met with Major-General Orde Wingate, the commander of the Chindits.

Frederick Browning held a series of meetings with General Sir Claude Auchinleck, the Commander-in-Chief, India; Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Peirse, the Air Officer Commander-in-Chief; and Lieutenant-General Sir George Giffard, the GOC Eastern Army.

Frederick Browning sent his most experienced airborne commander, Major-General Ernest Down, to India as GOC of the 44th Division.

Frederick Browning, who was the senior British airborne officer, and well he should have.

US Major-General Ray Barker, who worked in Eisenhower's Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force, warned him that Frederick Browning was "an empire builder", an assessment with which Gavin came to agree.

Frederick Browning officially became commander of I Airborne Corps on 16 April 1944.

Frederick Browning disagreed with the British drop zones proposed by Air Vice Marshal Leslie Hollinghurst of No 38 Group, which he felt were too distant from the bridge at Arnhem, but Browning felt unable to challenge the airmen.

Frederick Browning downplayed Ultra evidence brought to him by his intelligence officer, Major Brian Urquhart, that the 9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen and the 10th SS Panzer Division Frundsberg were in the Arnhem area, but was not as confident as he led his subordinates to believe.

Frederick Browning landed by gliders with a tactical headquarters near Nijmegen with Gavin's 82nd Airborne Division on 17 September 1944, the first day of the operation.

Frederick Browning's headquarters had not been envisaged as a frontline unit, and the signals section that had been hastily assembled just weeks before lacked training and experience.

Frederick Browning took responsibility for this, noting that he "personally gave an order to Jim Gavin that, although every effort should be made to effect the capture of the Grave and Nijmegen bridges as soon as possible, it was essential that he should capture the Groesbeek Ridge and hold it".

Frederick Browning told Field Marshal Sir Alan Brooke, the Chief of the Imperial General Staff, the professional head of the British Army, that he would like Browning to take over VIII Corps in the event that Sir Richard O'Connor, the GOC, was transferred to another theatre.

Frederick Browning then offered Browning for the post, and Mountbatten accepted.

Pownall considered that Frederick Browning was "excellently qualified" for the post, although Frederick Browning had no staff college training and had never held a staff job before.

Pownall noted that his "only reservation is that I believe [Frederick Browning] is rather nervy and highly strung".

Frederick Browning served in South East Asia from December 1944 until July 1946; Mountbatten soon came to regard him as indispensable.

In January 1948, Frederick Browning became Comptroller and Treasurer to Her Royal Highness the Princess Elizabeth.

Frederick Browning became involved with the Cutty Sark Trust, set up to preserve the famous ship, and the administration of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award.

Frederick Browning had been drinking since the war, but it now became chronic.

Frederick Browning retreated to Menabilly, the mansion that had inspired du Maurier's novel Rebecca, which she had leased and restored in 1943.

Frederick Browning was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Cornwall in March 1960.

Frederick Browning caused a scandal in 1963 when, under the influence of prescription drugs and alcohol, he was involved in a car crash in which two people were injured.

Frederick Browning died from a heart attack at Menabilly on 14 March 1965.

Frederick Browning was portrayed by Dirk Bogarde in the film A Bridge Too Far, which was based on the events of Operation Market Garden.

Du Maurier responded angrily to early reports of how Frederick Browning was portrayed, and wrote to Mountbatten, urging him to boycott the premiere.

Frederick Browning did not do so, explaining that proceeds were going to a charity that he supported.

Frederick Browning pointed out that Operation Market Garden was a disaster, and blame had to be shared by those in charge, which included Browning.

The museum moved to the Imperial War Museum Duxford in 2008, and Frederick Browning Barracks was sold for housing development.