Family and Early Career
Bramall's family were wealthy merchants from Hampshire, but his mother was a convinced socialist and did much to convince her son to support the left in politics. He attended Westminster School briefly, before moving to Canford School for the benefit of his health. He went up to Magdalen College, Oxford in the mid 1930s to read Philosophy, Politics and Economics. He was elected to chair the Oxford University Labour Club in 1938. At Oxford he was an active debater at the Oxford Union Society where he often debated with Edward Heath. He was Treasurer of the Union in 1939.
On the outbreak of war Bramall joined the Northamptonshire Yeomanry, into which he was commissioned in 1941. He transferred to the Reconnaissance Corps later the same year and also served at the Army Staff College in Camberley, being promoted to Major. After the end of the war he served in Germany in the Allied administration. His younger brother Edwin (known as 'Dwin') was much later to be appointed Chief of the Defence Staff and created Lord Bramall.
Read more about this topic: Ashley Bramall
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