Today | News | Books | Recipes Adventure | Science Fiction | Ghost stories | Poetry | Children | History Book. 1057, 1/14th Battn. (London Scottish) The London Regt. (T.F.), _s._ of Robert Brown, of Kirkcaldy, co. Fife, Draper, by his wife, Mary Davidson, dau. of David Findlay; _b._ Kirkcaldy, 16 Nov. 1888; educ. High School there; entered the Civil Service and received an appointment in the India Office, where he was engaged till he volunteered for foreign service on the outbreak of war. He had been a member of the London Scottish for some seven years, went to France with them as a corpl., was promoted Sergt. at the Front, and at the time of his death had been recommended for a commission. He was shot in the trenches at Givenchy by a sniper, 24 Dec. 1914, and was buried in the cemetery there; _unm._ [Illustration: =Norman McLeod Brown.=] =BROWN, OSCAR=, Lieut., 7th Lancers, Indian Army, attd. 4th Dragoon Guards, 8th _s._ of the late William Hooper Masters Brown, of Highfield House, Sherborne, co. Dorset, by his wife, Mary, dau. of William James, of Pembroke, _b._ Sherborne, 20 May, 1888; educ. Sherborne School, and Sandhurst; gazetted to the 48th Northamptonshire Regt. 19 Sept. 1908, and promoted Lieut. 7 May, 1910. In Sept. 1912 he exchanged into the Indian Army, and joined the 7th (Hariana) Lancers. While riding for the Delhi Cup in 1913 his horse fell and injured him to such an extent that he was invalided home, and on the outbreak of the war, being still in England, he was attached to the 4th Dragoon Guards, going to France with them in Sept. 1914. He was killed in action by a shell at Ypres, 24 April, 1915, and was buried at Elverdinghe; _unm._ =BROWN, PHILIP GEORGE MORTIMER=, Private, No. 9704, 5th Battn. (London Rifle Brigade) The London Regt. (T.F.), only _s._ of the late Frederick Robert Brown, Solicitor, by his wife, Emily Louisa (Thirlmere, Dukesthorpe Road, Sydenham, S.E.), dau. of George Phillips, of Beckenham, _b._ Sundridge Park, co. Kent, 15 Oct. 1896; educ. The Hall, Sydenham Preparatory School, and Dulwich College. He joined the London Rifle Brigade early in 1914, and on the outbreak of war was with his regt. at Eastbourne for the midsummer manœuvres. Volunteering for foreign service, he left with his regt. for France early in Nov. 1914, and was killed in action at Ypres, 3 May, 1915; _unm._ His commanding officer wrote: "He died doing his duty to the last, and was buried the same night. After he was slightly wounded himself, he spent all his time attending to other wounded friends, and it was whilst performing this duty that he was killed." [Illustration: =Philip G. M. Brown.=] =BROWN, WALTER GILBERT=, Seaman, R.N.R., 13630, H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914. =BROWN= (_alias_ =BROWNING=), =WILLIAM=, Stoker, 1st Class (N.C.S.), 298889, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914. =WREFORD-BROWN, CLAUDE, D.S.O.=, Capt., 2nd Battn. 5th Northumberland Fusiliers (T.F.), 5th _s._ of the late William Wreford-Brown, by his wife, Clara Jane (5, Litfield Place, Clifton, Bristol), dau. of Henry Clark, M.D.; _b._ Clifton, 17 Feb. 1876: educ. Waynflete, Durdham Downs; Wells House, Malvern Wells; and Charterhouse. After serving in the Royal Warwickshire Militia, he obtained his commission as 2nd Lieut. in the 1st Battn. of the "Fighting Fifth," 15 May, 1897, being promoted Lieut. 24 Nov. 1899, and Capt. 15 April, 1901. In 1898 he took part in the Soudan Campaign under Lord Kitchener, being present at the Battle of Omdurman and the capture of Khartoum (Queen's medal and Egyptian medal with clasp). He was employed in the occupation of Crete in 1898, and then, under Lord Methuen, served throughout the South African War, 1899-1902. He took part in the advance on Kimberley, including the actions at Belmont, Enslin, Modder River and Magersfontein. Afterwards he took part in the operations in the Orange Free State (March-May, 1900) and in the Transvaal (July-Nov. 1900), including actions at Venterskroom and Rhenoster River. Twice mentioned in Despatches [London Gazette, 9 July and 10 Sept. 1901], he received the D.S.O. for his services at Lichtenburg and the Queen's medal with four clasps and the King's medal with two clasps. He was selected to represent his regt. at the Coronation of King Edward VII. In April, 1908, he was on the North-West Frontier of India, and while serving in the Mohmand Campaign was seriously wounded. On 4 Sept. 1912. he was appointed an instructor at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, which post he filled until 17 Feb. 1915, when he joined the 2nd Battn. of his regt., then in France. Capt. Wreford-Brown was killed on the Menin Road, south of Ypres, 200 yards east of Wieltje Farm, north of Hooge, on Whit Monday, 24 May, 1915; unm. His regt. had been practically wiped out on the 13th, and when he heard of this he insisted on leaving Boulogne, where he was in hospital, and going back to reform the regt. He arrived at headquarters west of Ypres, Friday, 21 May, and there found 85 worn-out men of his battn., and about 450 of the 5th Fusiliers and Durham L.I., and 15 officers, a new draft which had just arrived, all from the same depôt. These he formed into a battn., and on Sunday, 23 May, was ordered to join the Brigade--only two clear days to form a new regt.! They marched between 15 and 29 miles on a sweltering hot day, losing several men on the way under shell fire. They arrived at Menin Road on Monday (Empire Day) the 24th; and were ordered out into support at 6 a.m. Wreford-Brown was commanding. At about 1 p.m. he received orders to advance to a certain point and attack a position which was allotted to him. The battn. shortly after leaving its support position came under heavy fire, and for a distance of two and a-half miles across country of open fields of buttercups, was continually under high explosive fire and shrapnel, machine and rifle fire. The regt. was formed up for the attack on the ridge which they took, but with very heavy casualties. Ten of the officers were wounded in this, leaving Wreford-Brown and two lieutenants. These and the remaining men dug themselves in, and on getting to the ridge they found the Germans very strong in a farm called Wieltje: it looked as if the Germans were on three sides of them. The regt. on the right could not be found, and two companies of the 5th were taking on three miles of Germans. At 7 p.m. he sent word as to his position and the heavy casualties. The answer came back: "You must try and take it and hold it at all costs." One of the captains in the firing line who was wounded and lying in a ditch reports that Wreford-Brown told him to go back to hospital, and congratulated him on getting back to England wounded, and said: "Good-bye, old fellow, I shall not see you again. I am ordered to attack the place, it is hopeless, but I shall lead my men to it"; and with that he turned to his men and called for a rifle and bayonet and said: "Now we will make the final charge of the Mohicans," which he did, leading the men. The Germans had 20 |