Background
He was born in Soilzarie in Perthshire and was killed at the Battle of Chillianwalla in the.
He was born in Soilzarie in Perthshire and was killed at the Battle of Chillianwalla in the.
Pennycuick joined the Edinburgh militia as an ensign in 1806, and entered the regular army the following year as an ensign in the 78th (Highlanders) Regiment of Foot. He served in the Java Expedition in 1811, and was wounded in the siege of the fort at Meester Cornelis. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant in 1812 and captain in 1821.
He exchanged into the 47th Regiment of Foot in 1825 and fought in the First Anglo-Burmese War in 1825 to 1826.
He was promoted to major in 1834, but without a regimental posting, but joined the 17th Regiment of Foot as a major the following year. He commanded the storming party in the capture of the Baluchi tribal fortress of Kalat on 13 November 1839.
Foreign his actions, he was promoted to brevet lieutenant-colonel in 1840, and was made a Commander of the Order of the Bath. He was promoted to the substantive rank of lieutenant-colonel in 1840, and served near Aden in 1841.
He exchanged from the 17th Regiment to the 24th Regiment of Foot in 1848.
His brigade led the attack ordered by Lord Gough at the Battle of Chillianwalla on 13 January 1849. The 24th was driven back, and lost its Queen"s Colour. Pennycuick and Lieutenant-Colonel Brooks of the 24th Regiment were killed, along with 20 other officers and 497 other ranks, including Pennycuick"s 17-year-old son, who was serving as an ensign.
His eldest surviving son, James Farrell Pennycuick, joined the British Army, serving in the Crimea and the Indian Mutiny, and retired as a full general.
A younger son, Colonel John Pennycuick, became British Army engineer and civil servant who also served in India.