Illustrated Chronicle 21/10/1915
Medal Index Card
George Brown was born at 31, Brewis Street in Gateshead in 1889, son to Thompson Brown and his wife Jane (nee Surtees) and baptised at St. Cuthbert’s Church, Bensham, in Gateshead on the 2nd April 1889. His father was employed as a labourer when he was born.
Thompson and Jane were both born in 1859 and their births were registered in Haltwhistle, Northumberland. The couple married in 1881 in Newcastle and had six children, but sadly only George and his sister Alice survived.
The family’s movements can be traced through the Census returns and in 1891 they are found at 19 & 21 Brewis Street in Gateshead, and with parents Thompson and Jane are two sons who are Stephen (born 1882 Corbridge) and George.
In 1901 the address is now 92, Low Cuthbert Street in Gateshead, and Thompson is working as a labourer and son Stephen is working as a drilling machinist (Stephen Surtees Brown died the following year, in February 1902, age 20). George is 13 years old, and the youngest child in the household is now Alice (born 1894 Gateshead). There are also two boarders in the household, who are named as John Surtees, a labourer, and Henry Drummond, a soldier on furlough (leave of absence).
In the 1911 Census return the family are living in four rooms at 74, Cuthbert Street, Gateshead, and those listed with George at this time are his mother Jane, his sister Alice and again two boarders; Ernest Cummings age 19 who is a single man working as a coal miner and Fred Cummings age 12 and at school. The Census tells us that George was also working in the mines as a colliery shunter, but his father Thompson is not included in the 1911 census return at this address. This may have been a simple mistake, as he does not appear elsewhere in the records.
George enlisted on the 6th September 1914 when he was 25 years and 159 days old and his height was 5ft 10 inches and weight 134 lbs. He had a fair complexion with blue eyes and light brown hair.
George served with the 13th (Service) Battalion Durham Light Infantry, ‘A’ Company, and his papers show he was home from the 6th September 1914 to the 24th August 1915 and then in France from the 25th August 1915 to the 9th October 1915 when he was killed, only a very short time later.
The Regimental Depot of the Durham Light Infantry was at Fenham Barracks in Newcastle, and in August and September of 1914 the number of men enlisting into the Durhams was overwhelming. Over 2,000 recruits left Newcastle for Bullswater Camp in Surrey where they were divided into the 12th and 13th Battalions of the DLI. The men had begun their training wearing their own civilian clothes and their khaki uniforms did not arrive until the February of the next year.
In late November 1914 the 12th and 13th Battalions of the DLI moved to Malplaquet Barracks in Aldershot, which was followed by moves to Ashford in Kent and Bramshott in Hampshire. The 13th DLI landed in France on the 26th August 1915 as part of the 68th Brigade of the 23rd Division, and found themselves in the trenches within days.
The war diary for the 13th Battalion Durham Light Infantry for 1st October 1915 begins in Estaires, and the weather was reported as warm and fine. This continued until the 4th October when rain arrived, and the Battalion moved at 9am from their billets to Petit Moulin, arriving at just after 11am. This was followed by another move at 5.30pm to their new billets, which were south of Erquinghem in Rue De Biez and Rue De Lettree, where they arrived at 6.20pm.On the 6th October the diary reports a cloudy and windy day, and the wounding of soldier 16768, Pte. Pilcher (‘B’ Company) by a stray bullet while he was with a working party at Tramway Farm. On the following day the Battalion moved from their billets at Erquinghem and took over trenches 58-55 from the 12th Battalion Durham Light Infantry. This was completed by 10.10pm and an Officer’s patrol went out in front of their line at 1.30am. A reinforcement of 52 men arrived at Steenwerck and proceeded to the transport lines at L’Epinette.
On the 8th October the enemy were quiet, except for snipers in front of 'A' Company trench which resulted in three casualties; 23659 Private J. W. Brett ('B' Company) who died of wounds, and also 17667 Sergeant J. T. Johnson ('A' Company) and 19014 Private W Baxter ('B' Company) who were both wounded, although Private Baxter’s was reported as accidental.
On the 9th October the weather was cloudy, but despite the conditions the enemy parapet was visible at 6am. The Battalion were still situated in trenches 55-58 and the enemy were quiet except for snipers and a few shells, which fell near Burnt Farm at about 4pm. This action resulted in the death of 16300 Pte. G. Brown ('A' Company) who was killed by a rifle grenade.
(A rifle grenade is a grenade that uses a rifle-based launcher, this allows a longer effective range than would be possible if the grenade were thrown by hand)
George was awarded the 1914-1915 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal for his services in the Great War. His family had the inscription "In loving memory of our dear son ever remembered by his father, mother and sister" added to his headstone.
Newcastle Evening Chronicle 1915
BROWN – Died in action in France, 16300, Pte. George Brown, aged 26, dearly beloved and only son of Thompson and Jane Brown, of 72, Lower Cuthbert Street, and grandson of the late Stephen Surtees, of Corbridge. Deeply mourned by his father and mother and sister.
BROWN – Killed in action, Private George Brown (Dode), only son of Jane and Thomson Brown, of 72, Low Cuthbert Street. For King and country he did his best, may God grant him eternal rest. Ever remembered by Ernie and Florrie.
Research: Jean Atkinson/James Pasby
George Brown is remembered in Gateshead on G39.004 and G39.085 and at Durham in D47.013d page 268
