Leighton Seymour Bracegirdle KCVO CMG (1881 - 1970)

Born 31 May 1881 in Balmain, New South Wales (Australia)

Ancestors

Husband of Lilian Annie (Saunders) Bracegirdle — married 19 Dec 1910 in St. Philip's Church, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Died 23 Mar 1970 at age 88 in French's Forest, New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

Leighton Bracegirdle KCVO CMG is Notable.

Rear Admiral Sir Leighton Bracegirdle KCVO CMG DSO was a senior Australian naval officer and an official secretary to four Australian Governors General: Sir Isaac Isaacs, Lord Gowrie, the Duke of Gloucester, and William McKell.

Leighton Bracegirdle KCVO CMG was born in the Colony of New South Wales (1788-1900)

Leighton Seymour Bracegirdle was born on 31st May 1881 in Balmain, New South Wales (Australia). He was the younger surviving son of Captain Frederick Bracegirdle, Assistant Harbour Master in Sydney and later Nautical Assessor to the Department of Navigation at the Admiralty Court, and Sarah Elizabeth Drewe. ^[1][2][3] Leighton attended Sydney Boys High School, at Moore Park in Sydney's inner south east.

In 1898 he joined the New South Wales Naval Brigade as a cadet. Two years later he became a Midshipman and served with the New South Wales naval contingent in China during the Boxer Rebellion. ^[4] He next served as a Lieutenant in the South African Irregular Horse in the final year of the Second Boer War. He returned to Australia after being wounded and continued to serve in the naval militia while working as a clerk. He was awarded both the China War Medal and the Queen's South Africa Medal with three Clasps. He gained a commission in the newly-formed Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

Leighton married Lilian Annie Saunders on 19th December 1910 in St Phillip's Church, Sydney. ^[5][6] Together, they had two sons:

• Warwick Seymour (1911-1993)^{[7] [8]}
• Brian Leighton (1918-2005) ^{[8] [9]}

Leighton Bracegirdle KCVO CMG is a Military Veteran.
Served in the Royal Australian Navy 1898-1947

RADM Sir Leighton Bracegirdle KCVO CMG was wounded in action at Gallipoli during The Great War.

In August 1914, Leighton transferred to the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force, serving as a staff officer in German New Guinea until the force was disbanded in February 1915. That month, upon transferring back to the RAN, he was promoted to Lieutenant and appointed commander of the 1st Royal Australian Naval Bridging Train and was sent to Gallipoli to prepare for the British landings at Suvla Bay in August 1915. His unit performed well under relentless shrapnel fire and remained at Suvla, where Leighton was wounded. Following his recuperation, he returned to his unit, which was now working on the Suez Canal. He was appointed Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) in June 1916 'in recognition of services rendered in the prosecution of the war' ^[10] and received his third Mention in Despatches in July that year. ^[11][12][13] Leighton returned to Australia in March 1917 having been promoted to Commander. ^[14]

Between 1918 and 1921, Leighton held the appointment of District Naval Officer in Adelaide, followed by a similar posting in Sydney until 1923, when he was appointed Director of Naval Reserves. In 1924 he received promotion to Captain.

He was appointed Military and Official Secretary to the Governor-General in 1931; a posting that spanned the tenure of three Governors General – Sir Isaac Isaacs (1931-36), Lord Gowrie VC (1936-45), and the Duke of Gloucester (1945-47) – and entered that of a fourth, William McKell. He was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the New Year Honours 1935 as Official Secretary to the Governor General. ^[15]

Although continuing in his vice-regal service, he retired from the navy on 31st May 1945, aged 64 years, having attained the rank of Rear Admiral. His naval career had spanned 47 years. In the 1947 New Year Honours, Leighton was created Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) 'in recognition of his service as Official Secretary to the Duke of Gloucester and as Military and Official Secretary, Government House Canberra 1931-45'. ^[16]

In retirement, Leighton enjoyed fishing, shooting and tennis. He was appointed to several directorships. He and Lady Bracegirdle liked tending the garden at their French's Forest home; a daily custom being the hoisting of the Australian flag in the yard. Life changed irretrievably in 1966 when Leighton's life partner, Lilian, passed away. They had enjoyed 55 years of marriage. Leighton passed away on 23rd March 1970 in Sydney. He was aged 88 years. ^[17] He was survived by his two servicemen sons and their families.

Sources

1. ↑ New South Wales Birth Index #4209/1881; registered at Balmain
2. ↑ Birth Notice, The Sydney Morning Herald, Tue 7 Jun 1881, Page 1, digital copy at accessed 2 February 2019
3. ↑ W. S. Bracegirdle, Bracegirdle, Sir Leighton Seymour (1881–1970), Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University,
   published first in hardcopy 1979, accessed online 2 February 2019.
4. ↑ Australian War Memorial nominal roll: Leighton Seymour Bracegirdle; accessed 15 Apr 2019
5. ↑ New South Wales Marriage Index #25/1911
6. ↑ Marriage Notice, The Daily Telegraph, Sat 7 Jan 1911, Page 12, digital copy at accessed 2 February 2019
7. ↑ Birth Notice, The Daily Telegraph, Sat 30 Dec 1911, Page 12, digital copy at accessed 2 February 2019
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} Death Notice for Warwick Seymour Bracegirdle, The Canberra Times, Wed 17 Mar 1993, Page 25, digital copy at accessed 1 February 2019
9. ↑ Birth Notice, The Argus, Sat 28 Sep 1918, Page 11, digital copy at accessed 2 February 2019
10. ↑ Australian Honours: Distinguished Service Order; accessed 15 Apr 2019
11. ↑ Australian War Memorial Honours and Awards: Mention in Despatches; accessed 15 Apr 2019
12. ↑ Australian War Memorial Honours and Awards: Mention in Despatches; accessed 15 Apr 2019
13. ↑ Australian War Memorial Honours and Awards: Mention in Despatches; accessed 15 Apr 2019
14. ↑ Australian War Memorial nominal roll: Leighton Seymour Bracegirdle; accessed 15 Apr 2019
15. ↑ Australian Honours: Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George; accessed 15 Apr 2019
16. ↑ Australian Honours: Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order; accessed 15 Apr 2019
17. ↑ [https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/lifelink/familyhistory/search/result? New South Wales Death Index #18626/1970; registered at St Leonards

See also

• Bracegirdle, W S. Bracegirdle, Sir Leighton Seymour (1881–1970), Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, published first in hardcopy 1979; accessed online 15 Apr 2019.
• Virtual War Memorial Australia (VWMA): 'Leighton Bracegirdle KCVO CMG'. and photo .
• Wikipedia contributors, "Leighton Bracegirdle," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, (accessed February 1, 2019).