Photo: Dorothy Hall
In Memoriam card
In Memoriam card 2
In Memoriam card 3
In Memoriam card 4
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Thomas William Brown was born in 1894 at Muggleswick, County Durham, unfortunately, nothing is known about his birth parents, he was eventually adopted by his aunt and uncle, John and Ann Storey and known by all as their son. John Storey was born at Mickley, Northumberland in 1854 and married Ann known as Annie born 1855 at Ryton, County Durham, in 1874. Their marriage was childless, however over the years they assisted their families by taking in from time to time their siblings, nieces and nephews.
In 1881 they were living at Healey Field near Castleside where John was an agricultural labourer supporting not only his wife but his sister Elizabeth Storey (13) and niece Elizabeth Brown (5). Ten years later Elizabeth Storey had left and he now housed his sister Isabella (23), nephew John Storey (9) and continued to look after niece Elizabeth Brown (16). By 1901 they had transferred to Lanehead, Muggleswick where John was a farmer, the only other member of their household was their nephew Thomas Willian Brown (6), in 1911 Thomas William was at Crooked Oak, near Mosswood, now 16 years of age and a student. He was educated at Consett Technical Institute and possibly attained his degree at London University. An active member of the community and local church Thomas William was well respected by all.
War was declared with Germany August 28th 1914 and by March 30th 1915 reports were beginning to be received from the Belgian salient of the Germans installing iron canisters in the vicinity of Zillebeke. A German prisoner taken April 14th also forewarned of an imminent attack using gas, a Belgian agent the same and news was also received via Belgian sources of the production of some 20,000 face masks in Ghent. No. 6 Squadron of the Flying Corp flew over the area but found nothing to report. Despite the warnings and the banning by The Hague Convention of 1907 of poison gas, the Germans successfully launched a chlorine attack, April 22nd 1915, against the troops in the area of Langermarck. Despite a duration of only 5 minutes it had a devastating effect on the terrified troops who tried to outrun it and the wounded lying on the battlefield or in the trenches who took the worst of it. The French and British response was one of outrage particularly as this occurred again several times and although 16 masks were issued to each infantry battalion these were exclusively for the use of the machine-gunners, troops in general used the method of covering their mouth with urine soaked gauze as a crude defence.
In early 1915 when Lord Kitchener authorised measures to retaliate against the German use of poison gas a laboratory at Helfaut, near St. Omer in France was established to study the problem. During 1915 the British too began producing poison gas which was used for the first time during the Battle of Loos, September 25th. This was considered to have been sufficiently successful to warrant the formation of Special Companies at the request of Sir Douglas Haig. By the end of May 1916 the Special Battalions were assigned to the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Armies.
Upon his enlistment Thomas William Brown was assigned to “A’ Special Company Royal Engineers as Pioneer 195979. Unfortunately, his military record has not been found, however, comments made in letters to his family after he was killed in action, March 21st 1918, by his professors, colleagues, his offices and comrades in the army expressed not only their regret but emphasised his devotion to duty.
The sacrifice of Pioneer 195979 Thomas William Brown is recorded as one of the 14,708 names inscribed on the Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France, which forms the perimeter wall of Pozieres British Cemetery, commemorating casualties of the United Kingdom and 300 of the South African Forces who died in the sector, March 21st to August 7th 1918, who have no known grave.
His adoptive mother Ann Storey as legatee (recipient) received all monies due to him and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal, sent to her at Crooked Oak Farm, Castleside.
Ann Storey died aged 72 years, October 3rd 1926, John Storey, September 24th 1930, aged 76 years.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
In St. Mary's Churchyard, Muggleswick is a headstone which reads
In loving memory of
Annie
the beloved wife of
John Storey
of Crooked Oak
who died October 3rd 1926
aged 72 years.
also Pioneer
Thomas Wm. Brown, B.Sc.
Son of the above
who was killed in action in France
March 21st 1918 aged 24 years.
Also the above
John Storey
who died September 24th 1930
aged 76 years.
The story Dorothy Hall was told that Thomas' cap hung in the family farmhouse for many years after his death.
The Blaydon Courier 04/05/1918 reports the memorial service which includes:
“Their loving thoughts and most fellow-feeling went out to their beloved friends in their loss of Thomas William Brown, which was a personal loss to them all. He was an active member of that Church and formerly of the choir, and a studious youth who was a bright example of the good gained by devotion to studies. He had climbed a great height and earned his degree as Bachelor of Science, and was also a musician of very great ability. His college professors and colleagues, his officers and comrades in the army, had all written to show the intense and wide regret occasioned by his death. He was as diligent as a soldier as he had been as a student: his did his duty to the death. His devotion to his adopted parents made his loss more hard to bear.”
Thomas William Brown is remembered at Muggleswick on M48.02 and M48.03 at Shotley Low Quarter on S28.01 and at Consett on C101.13
