John Dempsey

John Dempsey is a captain of the 1st Battalion of the 2nd Guards and is in command of the Light Company. He is a PC belonging to Dempsey. His PB is Aidan Turner.

Family
Father: His Grace the Duke of Sussex, Admiral Sir Robert Dempsey, MP

Mother: Arlana Dempsey

Siblings:

Brother: Lieutenant, Lord Aiden Dempsey (21), 95th Rifle Regiment

Brother: Mr Midshipman, Lord Richard Dempsey (21), HMS Surprise

Brother: Cornet, Lord Henry Dempsey (20), 15h The King's Hussars

Sister: The Lady Sophia Dempsey (19)

Childhood
John Dempsey was born in the town of Arundel in the Duchy of Sussex. His father, at the time, was a (Post-)Captain in the Royal Navy in command of the 64-gun HMS Inflexible. His mother was of an old line of French nobility whose family had fled from France in anticipation of trouble.

As the eldest child of the Duke, he was entitles to use the courtesy title of Earl of Arundel. Not that it mattered much to him until more than a decade later.

John had a happy childhood. At three years of age two little brothers were born, and and another two years later the trio got a little sister. Little John was a lively child, and was always running around and playing with whomever would play with him.

His time in school was less fun. He did what he had to do, but took no pleasure in it. He learnt Latin and French and a bit of Spanish from one of his mother’s maids. Mathematics were especially dull, but he endured it.

During his teenage years, his father had a particular friend of his, Captain Chesterfield, put him in the ship’s books so that he might accrue some sea experience on paper, should he wished to join the Navy. Even though this practice was illegal, it was done by many Captains, and so Captain Chesterfield obliged his old friend.

Life in the Army
Finally, when he was 18, John’s father purchased an Ensign’s Commission in the Second Regiment of Foot. He was immediately sent to Portugal, but did not see any action at all because he was put on the Regimental staff at the request of his father, who was an old friend of the Colonel.

When he was 20, he bought a Lieutenant’s commission in the 2nd Foot Guards. With them, in 1807, he went to Denmark, where he fought in the battle of Copenhagen. For his part in the battle, and to fill a vacant spot, John was promoted to the rank of Captain, and was given command of one of the Battalion’s Companies.

It was also during this battle that he got his nickname. A cannonball missed the young Lieutenant by almost a hair. Had he stood but an inch to his left he would no longer have a head.

Two years later, the Regiment was sent to Portugal to join the forces of Sir Arthur Wellesley. Following the Battle of Talavera, Dempsey was to take over command of the Light Company.

Appearance
John is a tall man, standing at a hundred and eighty five centimeters. Some would say he’d be more suited in the Grenadiers than the Light Company because of this, but when people say such a thing he just smiles. His black hair is usually only grown until it is as long as his thumb, before he cuts it short again. He inherited his brown eyes from his mother, which is the only thing of his appearance he inherited from her.

John will often be seen wearing his Army uniform, even when he is not required to do so. He simply likes the feel of it.