No.37392, Private, Ernest William BROWN
Aged 31
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Ernest Brown was born in Shipdham on 27th September 1885 (Mitford Q4-1885 4B:276), son of Charles William and Mary BROWN (née ? ). 1891 census...not yet found in this census 1901 census...not yet found in this census He married Zoraida EASTICK (Mitford Q4-1908 4B:779) who later married Thomas H. GARNER (Thetford Q1-1921 4B:799) and lived at Brandon Road, Watton. 1911 census...Aged 35, a butcher, he was at George Street, Brandon with his wife Zoraida [29] born Great Cressingham; son Alec [11 months] born Watton; sister in law Edith EASTICK [17] born Great Cressingham. He was working for Messrs Wood. Ernest and Zoraida had three sons: Alec Charles, 4/4/1910; Stanley Eastick, 24/9/1912, and Ernest Frank, 2/7/1917. |
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He enlisted in Brandon.
De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour:- BROWN, ERNEST WILLIAM, Private, No.11309, 1st Battn.(7th Foot) The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), s. of Charles William Brown of Hopton, Thetford, by his wife, Mary; b.Shepdham (sic), co. Norfolk, 27 Sept.1885; educ.Council School there; was a butcher; enlisted 31 May, 1916; served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from the following Dec.;was reported missing after fighting at Ypres 31 July, 1917, and is now assumed to have been killed in action on or since that date. He m.at Shipdham, 26 Dec. 1908, Zoraida (Church Road, Brandon, co.Suffolk), dau.of Arthur Eastick, and had three sons: Alec Charles, b.4 April, 1910; Stanley Eastick, b.24 Sept. 1912, and Ernest Frank, b.2 July, 1917. He arrived in the B.E.F. on 7th December 1916. "THE ROYAL FUSILIERS IN THE GREAT WAR" by H. C. O'NEILL, O.B.E.has the following:- 3rd battle of Ypres - On July 31st two Royal Fusilier battalions took an active part in the opening attack. They were engaged on a sector that from the beginning meant hard fighting and little success. On the right of the 41st Division, of which the 26th Battalion formed part, was the 24th Division, containing the 1st and 12th Battalions. The 1st attacked at zero with the 12th Battalion 200 yards in the rear. The leading companies as usual clung closely to the barrage. A number of casualties were sustained as the men crossed the valley in which lies the sunken road towards the eastern end of Shrewsbury Wood, but the Germans did not attempt to stand until the strong point south of Jeffrey Avenue was reached. This trench runs from the north- eastern face of Clonmel Copse to the northern edge of Shrewsbury Wood. At this point the battalion were held up until Lieutenant Flack's party rushed it. Flack knocked out the machine gun with a rifle grenade, and was subsequently awarded a bar to the M.C. for this service. This part of the line was then consolidated. C Company, under Captain Leeming, reached the trench on the south-western face of Bodmin Copse, and here he was killed. The German snipers were very active, and C Company was deprived of an efficient leader. This company on the left of the advance alone maintained its direction. A very sustained fire had been kept up from Lower Star Post, in the heart of Shrewsbury Wood, and it was owing to this, apparently, that the battalion on the 1st Royal Fusiliers' right swerved, causing the Fusiliers' right company also to swerve. At 4.15 a.m. the 12th Battalion passed through the 1st in Jeffrey Avenue. They had been held up while the 1st were reducing numerous strong points, and had suffered heavy loss. Captain H. J. Cox, Captain H. D. Doudney, Lieutenant A. J. Waby and Second Lieutenant W. F. Cooper were killed, and Second Lieutenant E. Cohen was mortally wounded. Captain F. C. Day was also wounded. These casualties could not but gravely weaken the battalion. Five minutes before the 12th passed through the 1st, Second Lieutenant H. Martin with the signallers advanced, but he was killed on the way up. The advance from Jeffrey Avenue had made but little way before it was held up at a strong point on the western edge of Bodmin Copse. No. 3 Company rushed this position, and the 12th pushed through the copse to its eastern edge, but were there held by machine - gun and rifle fire. The advance had to be abandoned and a line was established enclosing the greater part of Bodmin Copse. A strong point was established in the trench about 100 yards to the north-east of the north-eastern corner of the copse, and there Lieutenant N. P. Mussbaum was wounded. That night a final line was established some 500 yards west of Bassevillebeek and held by the 1st Battalion, the 12th, with the 3rd Rifle Brigade and the Leinsters. On this day, the 1st Battalion sustained 277 casualties, 12 being officers, 3 of whom were killed." CWGC have 83 of the 1st Royal Fusiliers killed in this action, only 7 have identified graves. click here to go to the Brandon at War website for more information
photo: Commonwealth War Graves Commission click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
