Name
Reginald Rodbard Brown
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
05/08/1917
21
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
50252
London Regiment (Rifles)
6th (City of London) Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BUSHEY (ST. JAMES) CHURCHYARD
1, near North door of Church.
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
St James’ Church Memorial, Bushey
Pre War
Born in 1896 in Ham near Sandwich in Kent, Reginald Rodbard Brown was the son of Edwin (sic) John and Emily Florence Brown from London. His father was a commercial traveller for a timber merchant and had three children.
In 1911 the family was living at 24 Ormiston Road, Shepherds’ Bush, London and Reginald, who was fourteen, was working as a shop boy.
Wartime Service
Reginald enlisted as Private 50252 the Royal Fusiliers, serving with 6th Battalion, and proceeded to France on 16 November 1915. He died of wounds on 5 August 1917, aged 21.
He was buried in Bushey churchyard. His connection with Bushey is currently unknown but his older brother, Albert Rodbard Brown, was born in the Watford area in 1894 so the family may have lived in Bushey or had a relative there.
His pension record shows the dependant as Emily Florence Brown of 20 Loftus Road, Shephard’s Bush, which is subsequently annotated on 21/07/23 as ‘deceased’ and substituted by Edwin John Brown of 7 Stanlake Road, Shephard’s Bush.
Additional Information
*1 More correctly London Regiment (Rifles).
His headstone is
non-standard and lists 4 men with the information "THOSE HONOURED HERE
DIED IN THE SERVICE OF THEIR COUNTRY AND LIE BURIED IN THIS CHURCHYARD",
suggesting that the position of these men's graves have been lost.
Information provided with the kind permission of Bushey First World War Commemoration Project – Please visit www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk.
Acknowledgments
Andrew Palmer
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild
