Francis George Cocksedge Probart was born in Bury St Edmunds in July 1835. He was the son of Francis George Probart and Anna Merielina Cocksedge. He joined the 95th Regiment as an ensign in November 1853 and went out to the Crimea on 24 Nov 1854 with the rank of lieutenant. He fought in the siege and fall of Sevastopol for which he gained the Crimea and Turkish medals as well as the Order of the Medjidie 5th Class. He exchanged to the 54th West Norfolk Regiment to gain the rank of captain and served with them in India during the Mutiny. He was in East Bengal against the Chittagong mutineers, and in Lord Clyde’s campaign in Oude in 1858-59. He exchanged to the 9th East Norfolk Regiment on 9 July 1871 with the rank of major. He commanded the 1st Battalion from July 1877 to 1882. After relinquishing command he was appointed commander of the Pontefract District and then the Depot at Great Yarmouth. He died in Great Yarmouth on 18 Feb 1885 aged 49.
He was married in 1877 to Francheschina Evelyn Cecily Medhurst who was 23 yrs old, while he was 42. However she was unfaithful and had an affair with Richard Mitchell, who she later married. Colonel Probart petitioned for a divorce in May 1882. There were no children. The caricature of ginger-haired Colonel Probart shows him sitting at dinner in regimental mess dress which has the yellow facings of the 9th East Norfolk Regiment (after 1881 the regiment had white facings). The embroidered crown badge on each side of his collar denoted the rank of lieutenant-colonel at that time. He has miniature medals for the Crimean War and Indian Mutiny.
1853 Ensign 18 Nov
1854 Lieutenant 21 Sep
1856 Captain 29 Feb
1868 Major 30 Sep
1877 Lieutenant-Colonel 21 Jul
Regimental Details | Commanding Officers
