Alanbrooke

This is very interesting surname, is a branch from the Brooke's of Brookborough, County Fermanagh, in Northern Irelamd. The family are said to descend from Sir Basil Brooke (also spelt in his time as Brook), who is said to have held a monopoly in the service of King Charles 1st of England (reigned 1625 - 1649) - for the supply of gunpowder in the London area. However after the execution of the king, Sir Basil was locked up in the Tower of London and may have sworn an oath to Oliver Cromwell. Certainly at some point he was rewarded with the grant of lands in Ireland, and the family have been high ranking supporters of the Unionist Party ever since. Alan Francis Brooke the future Viscount, was born in France in 1883, and died in 1963 aged 80. He joined the British Army in 1902 as an artillery officer and served as a general staff officer through the 1st World War (1914 - 1918). In 1939 he commanded the 2nd Corps of the BEF (British Expeditionary Force) that was driven out of France the following year. However no blame seems to have been attached to him, and he was immediately appointed principle advisor to Sir Winstone Churchill, then Prime Minister. General Alan Brooke remained in that position throughout the Second World War (1940 - 1946). and in that year he took the title of 1st Viscount Alanbrooke of Brookeborough, as well as being showered with military honours from many countries. The 2nd Viscount Alanbrook was born in 1932 and died young in 1972. The 3rd was his half brother, and a former British army officer who is now the only holder of the surname, which will become extinct unless there is a further male issue. There are several places now called Alanbrooke, including Alanbrooke Barracks in North Yorkshire. In a sense the surname is a form of 'double-barrelling', but more practical in that a common use of a full name, has been used to create the surname or title.