Name
Frederick John Brown
2 November 1898
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
09/03/1918
19
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
G/60128
Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment)
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TYNE COT MEMORIAL
Panel 113 to 115.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, Tilehouse St., Baptist Church War Memorial, Hitchin, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin, Hitchin British Boys' School Memorial, Hitchin, We are not aware of any Charlton memorial
Pre War
Frederick was born on 2 November 1898 in Charlton, his parents William and Emily Brown (née Chalkley) married 27 December 1886.
In 1901 the family was living in Charlton and consisted of parents William (34) and Emily (34), William was working as a yardman on farm. Their children were listed as Emily (12), William (11), Charlotte (9), Harry (8), Frederick (2) and Arthur who was 6 months.
William (junior) was schooled at Tilehouse Street Baptist School and the British School Infant Dept. of Hitchin Boys’ British School admitted to the latter on 1 May 1906
In 1911 the address was given as Pear Tree Cottage, Charlton, William was now working as a horse keeper. Emily, Charlotte and Arthur were not present. William (junior) now 21 and working as a farm labourer, Harry and Frederick were present and had been joined by Ada (9), Frank (7), Gerald (5), Charles (3), Dorothy (1) and Albert just 6 months. The parents were recorded as married 24 years, had 16 children of whom 5 had died.
Born Charlton and enlisted Hitchin.
Wartime Service
His medal card suggests that he was initially numbered 9973.
He attested, probably conscripted, on 2 October 1916, when he was 17 years and 11 months and a farm labourer. His home address given as Pear Tree Cottage, Charlton and he was 5’ 8” tall and weighed 130 pounds
Siblings were given as William, Harry, Frank and Albert at Hitchin Hill and Emily Turner married living Charlton, Charlotte Jenkins married living in 4 Hitchin Hill, Ada and Dorothy both living in Charlton
He was called up for service on the 24th March 1917, transferred to 28th Training Reserve battalion 26 March 1917, the 24th Training Battalion 7 June 1917, and then transferred to the 6th Middlesex on 8 September 1917. He landed in France 31 October 1917 and joined the 6th Battalion overseas on 3 November 1917. He was transferred again, this time to 1st Battalion Middlesex Regiment on 8 February 1917 which was part of the 98th Brigade in the 33rd Division, and he was them until 9 March 1918 when he was killed in action. That date was recorded as 9 March 1918, however his service record reveals that he was listed as missing on the 12th.
His date of death coincides with the 1st Battalion spending quite an amount of time in the front line south west of Passchendaele and they suffered a number of casualties from mustard gas shelling.
He has no known grave, but is remembered on Panels 113-115 of the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing in Belgium.
Additional Information
His personal items: letters, photos and 2 wallets were sent to his, mother at Pear Tree Cottage, Charlton on 17 June 1918.
His war medals were received by his mother on 15 December 1920 (Service medal) and 22 February 1921 (Victory medal).
His pension records give his mother Mrs Emily Brown of Pear Tree Cottage Charlton as receiving his pension of 6s a week from 8 October 1918 and after her death his father, William John Brown
He was the cousin of Francis Frank Brown who was killed in action on the 19th April 1916.
Acknowledgments
Jonty Wild
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
