BROWN, Thomas
No. 16214, Private, Thomas Clarence BROWN
Aged 40
1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment
Killed in Action on Saturday 8th May, 1915
|
Born Q3-1874,[Newmarket 3b:521], baptised 3rd December 1876 in Snailwell, Cambs, the son of Thomas and Mary BROWN (née NIGHTINGALE), of Fordham Road, Exning. 1881 census...at Fordham Road, Exning were Thomas C [6]...his father Thomas [41] an agricultural labourer, born Snailwell...his mother Mary [41] born Coton ....his sister Ellen F. [10], born Exning...brother Frederick G [4], born Snailwell...sister Maud M [5], born Snailwell. 1891 census...at Fordham Road, Exning were Thomas [16] an agricultural labourer..his parents, younger brother Frederick, sister Maud and brother Albert [8], born Exning. 1901 census...at 3 York Cottages, Exning were his father, now horse keeper on a farm, his mother and sister Maud, who were laundresses,and brothers Frederick now a drainage navvy and Albert who was a carter on a farm. Thomas is presumably away in the Army, either in India or South Africa. 1911 census...Thomas yet to be found in a census, but he was probably still in the Army. His service records for this period have not been found He had served in the Boer War, having been in India when that war broke out. He enlisted in Newmarket. His sister Maud (TAYLOR) of 10 Eleanor Terrace, Exning appears to have completed the CWGC forms, his parents having died The pension form initially gave his dependant as Ethel Sarah ASHBY, 2 Heath Cottages, Exning, guardian of illegitimate child, Georgina May ASHBY ( 1915 qtr 2 NEWMARKET 3b:803). Ethel was replaced by Mrs Harriett ASHBY (Ethel's mother), He was the elder brother of Frederick BROWN Thomas' entry in "Our Exning Heroes" reads as follows: Brown, T. 1st Suffolks Thomas Brown, an elder brother of Fred, had served in the South African War, and was in India when that war broke out. He won one medal. At the outbreak of the war with Germany he rejoined the Army at once, and was sent to France in the following January. He was killed on May 8th, 1915, at Hill 60, his death being instantaneous. Nearly all his Regiment were killed at that time, only eight coming out alive. He was 38 (sic) when he died. He was a bricklayer by trade, and worked at Mr Hunt's, builder, Newmarket. A report in the Newmarket Journal of 29th January 1916:- DIED FOR HIS COUNTRY - Mr. Thomas Brown, Burwell Road, has just received an official intimation from the War Office that the death is presumed of his son Pte. Tom Brown, Suffolk Regt, who has been missing since May 8th. Pte. Brown served in the Suffolks for twelve years, and rejoined his old regiment after the war broke out. Previously he was employed by Mr. E.H.Leach at Hamilton Stud. Another soldier son of Mr. Brown's died in May last and was buried at Exning. |
|
The actual battle for Hill 60 had ended by 7th May with the Germans in possession of the hill (which was actually only the spoil from digging a nearby railway
cutting), enabling a fierce attack on the British in that area. By the time of the German attack on 8 May there were fewer than 400 members of the 1st
Battalion left. Conditions in the trenches were appalling, the bombarded banks of a nearby stream had given way and the water had turned the low ground into
a swamp. The 1st Battalion of the Suffolk Regiment was virtually wiped out, the casualties on 8 May 1915 were over 400. Of the whole Battalion only 30 men
returned from the Battle for Frezenberg Ridge. |
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details