BROWN, Horace


54164, Private, Horace BROWN
Aged 20


20th Battalion, Manchester Regiment
formerly No 205098, Northamptonshire Regiment
Killed in Action on Friday, 4th October 1918

Horace BROWN was born in Balsham (Linton Q3-1898 3B:504) son of Walter and Beatrice BROWN (née FREE). Baptised at Balsham on 3rd November 1901 (notes say 2 yrs)

1901 census...Aged 2, Horace was at Old House Road, Balsham with his father Walter BROWN [34] farm labourer; his mother Beatrice [32]; brother Walter [12] and sister Annie [10], all born in Linton, also sister Emma [8], brothers William [6] and Sidney [4] born in Balsham.

1911 census...Aged 12, Horace was at Horseheath Road, Linton with his parents (father now a jobbing bricklayer); brothers William Thomas (farm labourer), Sidney (errand boy), Charles Albert [7]; sisters Lily Rose [5], Elizabeth Mary [4] and llarench Hilda [1]. All the children are now recorded as born in Balsham.


His number in the Northants suggests enlistment in 1917. The battalion, in the 7th Division, had moved to Italy in November 1917 and in September left the Division and returned to France to join the 7th Brigade, 25th Division. When Horace transferred to the Manchesters is not known.

The war diary appendix has a detailed account, but in summary, the Battalion relieved a Battalion of 5th Australian Brigade opposite Beaurevoir and Ponchaux. On 4th October 1918, at 4 am they were ordered to attack at 6 am and take the two villages, with the 9th Devons on their left and Australians on their right. The objective was the higher ground NE of the villages.
They were successful in taking the villages but were not able to hold them, due to heavy casualties. They pulled back and established a line from the windmill at Beaurevoir to just west of Geneve where they were in touch with the Australian (blue line below) Attempts to renew the attack were held up by machine guns fire and snipers in the cemetery and in front of Ponchaux. This position was held for the rest of the day. They had captured 2 officers and 93 OR and several machine guns, but casualties amounted to 5 officers wounded, 24 OR killed, 85 wounded and 3 missing. It looks as if Horace was one of those missing.



Scene of the action, early afternoon of 4th Oct.1918

He enlisted in Peterborough, when resident in Balsham. Have to be doubly careful here as "Soldiers Personal Effects has two men:
Horace Brown, No 54164 20 Manchester dying 4/10/1918, sole legatee Mother Beatrice
George Horace Brown No. 54163 20 Manchester also dying 4/10/1918, legatee widow Maud, child Kenneth. He appears to be from Hoddesdon and according to CWGC he is buried Beaurevoir.
"Soldiers Died" has No 54163 as George Horace Brown born Hoddesdon and Horace Brown No 54164 born Balsham. They have different medal index cards and medal roll entries.

Since getting this far I have been in contact with "In from the Cold" who actually had Horace's death certificate back in 2009 but made the same mistake as others and believed they had a duplication of a man and did not proceed. As with all death certificates, a place of burial is not recorded. However since it is positive proof that Horace died in uniform, and thanks to the efforts of "In from the Cold", he has now been accepted for the National Book of Remembrance and his name will eventually be placed on the Vis-en Artois memorial.

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details


Horace Brown will eventually be commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois memorial. He has only recently (Nov 2018) been accepted for commemoration, however it will not be possible to add his name to this memorial immediately.

BACK to Balsham home page