Name
George Brown
31 October 1889
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
07/10/1915
26
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Corporal
9592
Bedfordshire Regiment
"B" Company, 2nd Bn
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
CAMBRIN CHURCHYARD EXTENSION
K. 29.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Great Offley memorials, Not on the Kings Walden memorials, Luton War Memorial, Beds
Pre War
George Brown was born on 31 October 1889 in King's Walden, Herts, the son of George and Elizabeth Brown and one of eight children. He was baptised at Kings Walden on 13 April 1890. (N.B. some records suggest he was born in Offley).
On the 1891 Census the family were living at Lilley Bottom, King's Walden where his father was working as a farm labourer and his mother was a straw plaiter. By 1901 they had moved to 34 Elizabeth Street, Luton, Beds and his father was a cattleman on a farm.
He worked for hat manufacturer Frank Harden in Bute Street, Luton, then enlisting into the 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment and served in South Africa in 1912.
His parents later lived at 25 Chase Street, Luton, Beds.
Wartime Service
He was a serving soldier with the 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment when war was declared. The Battalion was at Roberts Heights near Pretoria in South Africa and was immediately recalled to England, arriving at Southampton on 19 September 1914. They refitted for European warfare and left Southampton on 5 October 1914 on the S S Winifredian, stopping at Dover for supplies and onward to Zeebrugge where they arrived at 6.30 am on 7 October 1914. They were soon in action in the Retreat from Mons and the subsequent Battles of La Bassee, Ypres and Hill 60.
In 1915 the Battalion fought in the Battles of Neuve Chappelle and Festubert. George was killed on 7 October 1915, aged 25, during the engagement at Loos when they were in trenches at Cuinchy. In a letter to his mother, Sgt J Taylor of C Company, 2nd Bedfords, wrote that he was killed by a shot through the back and the bullet had cut a main artery.
George is buried in Cambrin Churchyard Extension, France.
Additional Information
His mother received a war gratuity of £7 10s and pay owing of £19 15s 4d. She also received a pension of 10 shillings in respect of George and his brother James who also served with the Bedfordshire Regiment and died on 5 November 1914.
The National Roll of the Great War names both George and his brother James. It gives George's date of death as 6 October, however CWGC and other military records show 7 October.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Adrian Pitts, www.bedfordregiment.org.uk, www.findagrave.com, www.worldwar1luton.com
