Today | News | Books | Recipes Adventure | Science Fiction | Ghost stories | Poetry | Children | History Book07), and Pembroke College, Cambridge (1912). On the outbreak of war he at once applied for a commission, and was gazetted 2nd Lieut. to the Durham L.I., 28 Aug. 1914. He went to France on 17 April, 1915, for divisional training, but consequent on the German attack with asphixiating gas his division was at once pushed to the front and engaged, and took part in the fighting around Ypres, 23 and 25 April, 1915. On Sunday, 25 April, he was wounded twice. He was first treated at Poperinghe Hospital, then removed to Hazebrouck, where he died on 27 April, 1915. His Colonel wrote: "He was one of the best officers we had, and did his duty to the last. On the day he was hit he had done valuable reconnaissance work in the morning, and, when hit, had taken part in a very good little attack. Although wounded in two places, he showed his pluck by returning unhelped to our lines. It is only by such examples as this that we may hope to conquer the enemy and keep up the tradition of the country." A brother officer also wrote: "We all liked him very much, he was such a cheerful fellow, and so conscientious that I knew that anything entrusted to him, however slight or wearisome, would be properly carried out." The Medical wrote: "He was a tremendous favourite with us all, and I can say I never had to attend to a pluckier lad." His elder brother, Lieut. Frank D. Brown, of the same battn., was wounded near Ypres in May, 1915, and is again (1916) on active service. =BROWN, JOHN ALEXANDER=, Rifleman, No. 3215, 17th Battn. (Poplar and Stepney Rifles) The London Regt. (T.F.), _s._ of William Brown, Corpl., A Coy. 1st Battn. (London Irish) The London Regt. (with 28 years' service), by his wife, Sarah; _b._ Old Street, Shoreditch, 10 April, 1876; educ. St. John's Road Higher Grade School there; served 12 years with the London Irish, and after the outbreak of war joined the Poplar and Stepney Rifles, 10 Sept. 1914; was wounded at the Battle of Loos, 25 Sept. 1915, and died in King George's Hospital, Stamford Street, 21 Nov. following. He _m._ at Hoxton, 4 Jan. 1897, Alice Rosina (18, Hemsworth Street, Hoxton), dau. of John Brown, and had seven children: John Alexander, _b._ 2 Aug. 1902; George Arthur, _b._ 22 March, 1905; William Charles Joseph, _b._ 3 April, 1907; Alice Rosina, _b._ 23 July, 1897; Minnie, _b._ 18 Sept. 1900; Florence Marion, _b._ 22 Sept. 1910; and Blanche Mabel, _b._ 16 Sept. 1912. [Illustration: =John Alexander Brown.=] =BROWN, JOHN EDWARD GUY=, Lieut., 1st Battn. The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regt., yst. _s._ of Alexander Francis Garden Brown, of Magonet-Stoke Gabriel, co. Devon, by his wife, Charlotte Mary, dau. of James William Alston, of Stockbriggs, co. Lanark; _b._ Swindrigemuir, co. Ayr, 28 Aug. 1892, and was educ. at Bradfield College. He received his commission in the 2nd Battn. of the Royal West Kent Regt., then in India, on 20 Sept. 1911, when just 19. Having been applied for in 1913, as an officer for the 64th Pioneers by the Commandant, he successfully passed two examinations in Indian languages, winning thereby a substantial prize given by the Indian Government, and intended to pass the final in the autumn of 1914. He became Lieut. on 1 July, 1914, and was at home on leave when war broke out. He was then attached on its formation to the 6th Service Battn. of the Royal West Kents in the new army. In Oct. 1914, in consequence of the heavy losses sustained by the 1st Battn. in the Battle of Ypres, he was sent out to join it, but by an error in the Army List copied in the newspaper accounts he was given as attached to the Royal Berkshire Regt. On leaving the 6th Battn. his commanding officer wrote: "I am very sorry to lose your son; he did very good work while with my battn. and I can ill afford to lose him. However, his work will bear its fruit in the future." He spent the winter in the trenches between Messines and Zillebeke and went through some heavy fighting in Nov. when the battn. lost so many officers, that he, though a junior, had to act as company commander during the months of Dec. and Jan. During this time in the trenches he passed a course of instruction under the R.E. officer attached to the battn. which qualified him as a regimental scout and bomb officer, a post he held at the time of his death. He was killed in action at Hill 60, near Zillebeke, Flanders. 22 Feb. 1915; _unm._ His commanding officer, Col. P. M. Robinson, wrote: "I regret your son's death immensely, he was a gallant man and a good officer, always ready to do rather than to talk. He had won my admiration on several occasions during the time I have been commanding this battn., and I had a very high opinion of him. I much regret his career has been cut short"; and Capt. Molony (who joined the battn. in Feb. from the reserve of officers): "During the short time I knew your son I acquired a very real respect and a great liking for him. This being my first experience of trench work, he really commanded the company, while I watched his methods and learnt from him. I was very much struck by his thorough efficiency as well as his imperturbable courage. Having left the Army nearly eight years ago and never before having been in action, I badly wanted someone to put me in the way of it. No one could have done it more thoroughly and at the same time tactfully than your son. During this time he was offered and accepted the very honourable, but at the same time dangerous position of battn. scout officer. I did not like it much because it would mean that I should very often be deprived of his assistance, but I heard the commanding officer, when discussing his suitableness, say among other things 'He is as brave as a lion.' He is a great loss to the regt. and his qualities would have carried him very far in his profession had he been spared. I hope it will be some consolation to you to know that he did not suffer. When I heard he was hit I went to him at once. He was quite unconscious, and remained so until he died, perhaps some two minutes later." Speaking of his death, the Adjutant said: "He was setting a splendid example, and, regardless of danger, was walking about laughing at the bombs, and greatly encouraging his men by his behaviour." [Illustration: =John Edward G. Brown.=] =BROWN, JOHN SAMUEL=, Chief Armourer, 341170, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914. =BROWN, JOHN SAMUEL=, A.B., 201534 (Chat.), H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in the action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914. =BROWN, NORMAN=, Private, No. 12/1569, 15th North Auckland Infantry, New Zealand Expeditionary Force, _s._ of Arthur Brown, formerly of co. Down, Ireland, by his wife, Mary (44, Springfield Road, Christchurch, New Zealand), dau. of Abernethy Patterson; _b._ Christchurch, New Zealand, March, 1881; educ. St. Alban's School, Christchurch; volunteered Dec. 1914, and died of wounds at Gaba Tepe, 11 May, 1915; _unm._ [Illustration: =Norman Brown.=] =BROWN, NORMAN McLEOD=, Sergt., No |