Pte
Arthur Brown
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 04/05/1879 |
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Place of birth: Preston, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom |
General information
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Last known residence: Preston, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom |
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Profession: Saddler |
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Religion: Roman Catholic |
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: 205060 |
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Enlistment place: Preston, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom |
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Units: — Lancashire Fusiliers, 2nd/5th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 20/09/1917 |
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Place of death: Schüler Galleries, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 38 |
Cemetery
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Tyne Cot Cemetery Plot: V Row: G Grave: 10 |
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
Arthur Brown was born on 4 May 1879 in Preston, Lancashire. He was the son of John and Hannah Brown. Before the war he lived in Preston, Lancashire, and worked as a saddler for a railway company. He enlisted in Preston, Lancashire, and was assigned to the 2nd/5th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers (164th Brigade, 55th (West Lancashire) Division).
Arthur was killed on 20 September 1917 during the Battle of the Menin Road, part of the Battle of Passchendaele. On the evening of 14 September 1917, the 2nd/5th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers arrived in the vicinity of Ieper. Until 17 September the battalion remained there in the rear before leaving in the evening for the front line south of Sint-Juliaan. On 19 September the attacking companies were moved to their starting positions northwest of Hindu Cottage. The attack on 20 September was to be carried out in four waves. The first two waves each consisted of two platoons from “C” and “D” Company. Their objective was to capture the Schüler Galleries and Cross Cottages. The third and fourth waves each consisted of two platoons from “A” and “B” Company, with the objective of Green House, Road House, and several dug-outs along the present-day Zonnebekestraat.
At 5:40 a.m. the attack began. The German troops at the Schüler Galleries immediately opened machine-gun fire. The enemy fire was so intense that before the Schüler Galleries were reached, 50% of the battalion had become casualties. Eventually the Schüler Galleries were captured, together with the 1/8th (Irish) Battalion, King’s (Liverpool) Regiment. This battalion also came under heavy fire during its attack, and only after fierce fighting did both battalions succeed in taking the Schüler Galleries. After capturing Schüler, elements of the 2nd/5th Battalion managed to take the remaining objectives, but were unable to hold them. At various times between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., German counterattacks were launched, but these were repelled by artillery fire and machine-gun fire from the Schüler Galleries. Around 5 p.m., the men of the 2nd/5th Battalion attempted to launch another attack from the Schüler Galleries, but this was beaten back by enemy artillery fire. After this, the battalion undertook no further actions that day. The 2nd/5th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers suffered 347 casualties that day: 40 killed, 226 wounded, and 81 missing.
Arthur Brown was killed at the age of 38. After the war his body was recovered near the Schüler Galleries. His remains were reburied at Tyne Cot Cemetery.
Arthur was killed on 20 September 1917 during the Battle of the Menin Road, part of the Battle of Passchendaele. On the evening of 14 September 1917, the 2nd/5th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers arrived in the vicinity of Ieper. Until 17 September the battalion remained there in the rear before leaving in the evening for the front line south of Sint-Juliaan. On 19 September the attacking companies were moved to their starting positions northwest of Hindu Cottage. The attack on 20 September was to be carried out in four waves. The first two waves each consisted of two platoons from “C” and “D” Company. Their objective was to capture the Schüler Galleries and Cross Cottages. The third and fourth waves each consisted of two platoons from “A” and “B” Company, with the objective of Green House, Road House, and several dug-outs along the present-day Zonnebekestraat.
At 5:40 a.m. the attack began. The German troops at the Schüler Galleries immediately opened machine-gun fire. The enemy fire was so intense that before the Schüler Galleries were reached, 50% of the battalion had become casualties. Eventually the Schüler Galleries were captured, together with the 1/8th (Irish) Battalion, King’s (Liverpool) Regiment. This battalion also came under heavy fire during its attack, and only after fierce fighting did both battalions succeed in taking the Schüler Galleries. After capturing Schüler, elements of the 2nd/5th Battalion managed to take the remaining objectives, but were unable to hold them. At various times between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., German counterattacks were launched, but these were repelled by artillery fire and machine-gun fire from the Schüler Galleries. Around 5 p.m., the men of the 2nd/5th Battalion attempted to launch another attack from the Schüler Galleries, but this was beaten back by enemy artillery fire. After this, the battalion undertook no further actions that day. The 2nd/5th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers suffered 347 casualties that day: 40 killed, 226 wounded, and 81 missing.
Arthur Brown was killed at the age of 38. After the war his body was recovered near the Schüler Galleries. His remains were reburied at Tyne Cot Cemetery.
Sources 6
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164 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters. (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/2921/1). http://nationalarchives.gov.uk Sources used |
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1911 England Census (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), RG14). https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/basket Sources used |
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2/5 Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers Regiment war diary (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO-95-2923-2_02). http://nationalarchives.gov.uk Sources used |
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McCarthy, Chris. Passchendaele: The Day by Day Account (Londen: Arms & Armour Press, 1995), p 84-85. Sources used |
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Preston's Municipal Roll of Honour (The Harris Museum, Preston, Lancashire, UK) http://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk Sources used |
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UK, World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923, (Western Front Association: 029/0120/Bro-Bro) https://www.westernfrontassociation.com/ Sources used |
More information 4
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/462069 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/532751 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=b5072555-b458-4d3b-835e-e9c3a7017f99 |
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A Street Near You https://astreetnearyou.org/person/462069/ |