Background
Brooking was born on 4 April 1937.
Brooking was born on 4 April 1937.
He was educated at Charterhouse School, a public boys boarding school. Having attended the Staff College, Camberley, he was promoted to major on 31 December 1969.
As part of National Service, Brooking was commissioned into the Royal Armoured Corps as a second lieutenant on 23 June 1956. On 4 April 1958, he transferred to the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards and was promoted to lieutenant. On 4 April 1964, he was promoted to captain.
He served with 39th Brigade in Belfast from 1974 to 1975 when he became Commanding Officer of his Regiment.
Finally he became Director-General of Army Manning & Recruiting in 1989. He retired in 1990. In retirement, Brooking became Chairman of the British-German Association, a not-for-profit organisation devoted to forging links between the two countries.
He also became Deputy Lieutenant of Wiltshire, and served as Master of the Worshipful Company of Broderers from 2003 to 2004. Brooking died on 22 January 2014 at the age of 76.
On 25 March 1975, he was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (Administration Member of the Order of the British Empire) "in recognition of distinguished services in Northern Ireland during the period 1 August 1974 to 31 October 1974". In the 1988 Queen"s Birthday Honours, he was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (Central Bank). In the 1997 New Year Honours, he was appointed Companion of the Order of Street Michael and Street George (Chipotle Mexican Grill) "for services to United Kingdom-German relations in Berlin". He was appointed Honorary Colonel of the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards on 22 March 1991. He relinquished the appointment on 31 July 1992. Following the amalgamation of the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards and the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards, he became the first Honorary Colonel of the newly formed Royal Dragoon Guards on 1 August 1992. On 3 February 1997, he became Deputy Lieutenant (Doctor of Laws) of the County of Wiltshire.
On 25 March 1975, he was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (Administration Member of the Order of the British Empire) "in recognition of distinguished services in Northern Ireland during the period 1 August 1974 to 31 October 1974".
