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Son of Charles Bell Horsbrugh, a Captain and Adjutant of the 2nd Central India Horse. Husband of Elizabeth Kearsley Horsbrugh. Born Pune (Poona), Maharashtra, India. At an early age he was sent to England, attending Wellington College and the Royal Military College at Sandhurst. On 25 February 1893 he joined the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, serving in Ceylon with them for two years. He was transferred to the Army Service Corps in 1895 and was posted to Ireland where he was promoted to Lieutenant in 1896. Stationed in Sierra Leone from 1898 to 1899 and saw service during the Bai Bureh rebellion. For his services during this operation, he was awarded the Protectorate Expedition Medal with clasp. While stationed in Sierra Leone he became a lifelong member of the Avicultural Society of Great Britain, occasionally contributing articles to their journal. A local chief brought him birds to study, one of which was a hornbill that became a valued pet until killed by another pet - a large-spotted genet (Genetta tigrina). He also raised two grey parrots that became his constant companions and learnt to talk, as well as a turaco that regularly shared an early morning bath with him. Horsbrugh had an undoubted skill with and an understanding of wild birds. Was an English ornithologist and military man, best known for his 1912 book The Gamebirds and Waterfowl of South Africa, a collaborative work with Claude Gibney Finch-Davies. Served Sierra Leone 1888-89, South Africa 1899-1902, France 1916. After a stay of two years in Kent, Horsbrugh was again sent to South Africa in 1905 to enforce the imperial peace. He was posted to Bloemfontein, where he and his wife were allocated an officer's house on top of Naval Hill. It was an idyllic location, teeming with birds. Horsbrugh built some large aviaries in the garden so as to acquire first-hand knowledge of their breeding and habits. In June 1905 his younger brother, C.B. Horsbrugh (1874–1952), joined them on Naval Hill, but soon took up employment with the Transvaal Museum in Pretoria under Dr. J. W. B. Gunning. Besides hunting together, the two brothers often made trips into the veld to study birds in their natural habitat. ref. South African Roll of Honour 1914-1918