Name
Owen Albert Brown
1893
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
05/11/1918
25
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
16750
Bedfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
JOLIMETZ COMMUNAL CEMETERY
In North-West part.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Letchworth Town Memorial, Church of St Nicholas Memorial, Norton, Willian War Memorial
Pre War
Owen Albert Brown was born in 1893 in Arseley, Bedfordshire in 1893 to William Brown and Fanny (nee Carter).
On the 1901 Census Owen was recorded with his Grandmother Georgina Carter, Amy Carter (born 1886),Carter Garner (grandaughter, born 1897) and John Garner (grandson, born 1900) at near Rose & Crown, Arlesley, Bedfordshire. Owen’s mother Fanny and Baden W A (born 1900) were living with Ezra Garner, his wife Mary Ann (Fanny’s sister), Ezra Salvator Garner (born 1889), and Clarence C Garner (born 1898) at 32, Exning Road, West Ham, London.
On the 1911 Census the family of parents, Owen (bookbinder), Baden William Africanus (born 1901)m Minnie Iris Garner (neice, bookbinder’s folder) and Nellie Carter (born1894, sister of wife) were living at 103, Common View, Letchworth.
His parents later lived at 2, Ridge Avenue, Letchworth, Herts.
Wartime Service
No service Record was found for Owen who enlisted in the Bedfordshire Regiment as Private 16750, following training he went to France on 30 Aug 1915 joining 1st Battalion at Ypres, being promoted to Lance Corporal at some time.
The 1st Battalion were part of 15 Brigade, 5th Division and had been in France since Aug 1914. In 1916 the Division took part in the Battles of the Somme at High Wood (2-25 Jul), Guillemont (3-6 Sep), Flers-Courcelette (15-22 Sep) and Morval (25-28 Sep). In 1917 the Division moved to positions near Vimy Ridge and took part in the Battles of Arras: Vimy (9-14 Apr), La Coulotte (23 Apr), 3rd Scarpe(3-4 May); they moved to the Ypres area for the battles of 3rd Ypres (Passchendaele) at Polygon Wood (26 Sep-2 Oct), Broodseinde (4 Oct), Poelcapelle (9 Oct) and 2nd Passchendaele (26 Oct-10 Nov). Late in 1917 the division were moved to Italy on the Piave Front but were rushed back to France in following the German Spring Offensive in Mar 1918, taking part in the Battles of the Lys in phase Battle of Hazebrouck (12-15 Apr) in which the battalion fought in the Defence of Nieppe Forest. Later they took part in the Hundred Offensive concluding with the Battle of the Selle (17-25 Oct). Owen was wounded in left thigh during a period following this last action, probably during trench duty, dying on 5/6 Nov 1918 (date varies by record).*1
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £19 and arrears of £9 17s 4d was paid to his widow.
Owen is also commemorated on the family headstone in Willian (All Saints) Churchyard. His part of the inscription reads:
ALSO OWEN A. BROWN FELL IN ACTION IN FRANCE NOV. 6TH(*1) 1918, AGED 25 YEARS.
SOME DAY SOME TIME OUR EYES SHALL SEE
THEIR FACES SO SWEET TO MEMORY.
SOME DAY WE’LL CLASP THEM BY THE HAND
OVER THE BETTER LAND.
*1 The CWGC records his age as 24 and his date of death one day earlier on the 5th November.
*2 The CWGC also gives his father as William, whereas the headstone confirms Baden W. Brown - the W could of course be William.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Dan Hill, Jonty Wild
