Educated at Winchester, Bright joined the 19th Regiment of Foot in 1843. He served in Bulgaria in 1854 and commanded the sharp-shooters of the 2nd Brigade of the Light Division during the Crimean War of 1854-56.He was one of the few officer who was never absent from duty during the terrible winter of 1854 for sickness or any other reason. As a Brigadier-general he commanded the 1st Brigade Hazara Field Force during the Black Mountain Campaign in 1868 and was mentioned in despatches. Bright was a noted cricketeer and an all around sportsman even holding a pack of English foxhounds he called "The Green Howards" In 1871 bright was appointed to Brigade Command in India and on leaving the 19th Foot presented the officers mess of the 1st Battalion with a silver cup engraved with a scene of the Battle of Granicus which is now on display at the Green Howards Regimental Museum. Bright commanded the Khyber Line Field Force during the 2nd Afghan War of 1878-80 and was again mentioned in despatches. He was appointed Colonel of the regiment (Green Howards/19th Foot) in October 1886 and was created Grand Commander of the Bath on Queen Victoria's birthday in 1894. He died at age 73, on Sunday 15th November, 1896 at his home in Guildford, Surrey. The above information was extracted form the September 1998 issue of The Friends of the Green Howard's Museum Regimental Newsletter. The photograph is signed on the reverse by the noted photographer O.G. Rejlander. Carte de Visite Oscar Gustav Rejlander - Photographer 1 Albert Mansion, Victoria Street S.W., London, England c. 1870's |