Autograph request
Postcard sent by Bray to Vice Admiral Gustav Brosch on 1st April 1922 asking for his autograph.
Gustav Matouš Brosch (22 September 1844 - 18 August 1924) was an Austrian officer and polar explorer. He took part in an expedition that discovered the Franz Josef Land archipelago.
In 1859 he entered the navy and two years later received the rank of cadet. He distinguished himself in extinguishing a ship's fire in the Battle of Vis in 1866 and in the same year he was promoted to ensign of a ship of the line. He served on various ships in the Adriatic and North Seas, as well as on the Danube, where he collaborated on scholarly work on the river and its tributaries. In 1871 he was promoted to lieutenant of the line ship 2nd class. In 1872-1874, as an officer of the Admiral Tegetthoff, he took part in the Austro-Hungarian North Polar Expedition. During his stay at Wilczek Island, he worked with Carl Weyprecht on magnetic measurements and took part in part of the third sledge expedition, during which he injured his leg.
Upon his return, he was promoted to lieutenant 1st class and after processing the scientific results of the expedition he received a knighthood. He then served as an artillery officer and rose to the ranks of corvette captain, frigate captain, captain of a ship of the line, and in 1899 was appointed rear admiral. He retired in 1904 with the rank of Vice Admiral.
