Pte
Alfred Heaton Brown
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 14/08/1896 |
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Place of birth: Bury, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom |
General information
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Last known residence: "Ivy Dene", King George Avenue, North Shore, Blackpool, England, United Kingdom |
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Profession: Student |
Army information
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Country: England, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: G/47706 |
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Enlistment date: 03/09/1915 |
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Enlistment place: Blackpool, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom |
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Units: — Royal Fusiliers (City of London) Regiment, 2nd Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 09/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Tragique Farm, Poelkapelle, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 21 |
Memorial
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Tyne Cot Memorial Panel: 29 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 4
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Last known residence | ||
| #3 | Enlistment place | ||
| #4 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Alfred Heaton Brown was born on 14 August 1896 at Bury, Lancashire, England. He was the son of William Robinson Brown and Elizabeth Heaton. Before the war he lived at Blackpool, Lancashire, England. Here he enlisted in 1915 and landed on France on 11 November 1915. By 1917, he served as a private in the 2nd Battalion Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), part of the 86th Brigade, of the 29th Division.
The Battalion took part in the Battle of Poelcapelle on the 9th of October 1917. In the early hours of that day, the Battalion went to their assembly position. During the assembly, up to zero hour they suffered a few casualties due to German shell fire. The Battalions task was to support the Lancashire Fusiliers with “Y” and “Z” Companies on the right flank and “X” and “W” Companies on the left. The advance commenced at 5:20 a.m.
In the advance to the first objective, the battalion suffered casualties due to German Machine Gun fire from Olga House. After 15 minutes, the Lancashire Fusiliers were able to capture this strongpoint and reached the first objective.
Captain Hood tried to reinforce the leading battalion. But during the advance, they came under German machine gun- and rifle fire coming from Senegal House. Notwithstanding this opposition, they managed to advance from shell-hole to shell-hole and made about 200 meters progress. Still, they suffered several casualties, and the advance was halted. Captain Hood ordered the line to be consolidated just 250 meters in front of Conde House and 100 meters of Miller’s House.
On the left flank, “X” and “W” Companies were ready to advance to the third objective. During the advance, they suffered several casualties due to machine gun fire from a trench in front of Conde House. They managed to capture the strongpoint, but they were not able to reach their actual objective. During this advance, it became clear that the second objective had not been taken. They consolidated a line near Tranquille House.
Alfred Heaton Brown was killed in action on 9 October 1917. According to a letter the Brown family received in 1918, the remains of Pte. Brown were found by Pte. Alexander Spence of the Liverpool Scottish 2nd/10th Bn. He stated that he recognized the body of Private Brown on the morning of 5 November 1917. He buried Pte. Brown near Tragique Farm. He took his wallet and photos and brought them to the Brown family. His remains were not recovered or identified after the war and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
The Battalion took part in the Battle of Poelcapelle on the 9th of October 1917. In the early hours of that day, the Battalion went to their assembly position. During the assembly, up to zero hour they suffered a few casualties due to German shell fire. The Battalions task was to support the Lancashire Fusiliers with “Y” and “Z” Companies on the right flank and “X” and “W” Companies on the left. The advance commenced at 5:20 a.m.
In the advance to the first objective, the battalion suffered casualties due to German Machine Gun fire from Olga House. After 15 minutes, the Lancashire Fusiliers were able to capture this strongpoint and reached the first objective.
Captain Hood tried to reinforce the leading battalion. But during the advance, they came under German machine gun- and rifle fire coming from Senegal House. Notwithstanding this opposition, they managed to advance from shell-hole to shell-hole and made about 200 meters progress. Still, they suffered several casualties, and the advance was halted. Captain Hood ordered the line to be consolidated just 250 meters in front of Conde House and 100 meters of Miller’s House.
On the left flank, “X” and “W” Companies were ready to advance to the third objective. During the advance, they suffered several casualties due to machine gun fire from a trench in front of Conde House. They managed to capture the strongpoint, but they were not able to reach their actual objective. During this advance, it became clear that the second objective had not been taken. They consolidated a line near Tranquille House.
Alfred Heaton Brown was killed in action on 9 October 1917. According to a letter the Brown family received in 1918, the remains of Pte. Brown were found by Pte. Alexander Spence of the Liverpool Scottish 2nd/10th Bn. He stated that he recognized the body of Private Brown on the morning of 5 November 1917. He buried Pte. Brown near Tragique Farm. He took his wallet and photos and brought them to the Brown family. His remains were not recovered or identified after the war and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
Sources 7
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2 Battalion Royal Fusiliers (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/2301/3). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
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87 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/2303/3). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
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Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911 (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), RG14). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
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In The Flanders Fight: North Shore Hero Killed, Fleetwood Chronicle, 06.11.1917. Sources used |
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Letter from H. E. Hodgson to the Brown family, dated October 26, 1917 Sources used |
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Letter from Private Alexander Spence to the Brown family dated January 6, 1918 Sources used |
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McCarthy, Chris. Passchendaele: the Day-by-Day Account (Lewes: Unicorn Publishing Group, 2018), 109-112. Sources used |
More information 3
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/843197 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=2679ce29-b910-4728-a249-9ecbd0c168ee |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/534246 |