Belgian Corner Cemetery: Pauline Priano
Belgian Corner Cemetery: Pauline Priano
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Thomas Brown was born at Jarrow, County Durham.
He was one of the first to enlist at Jarrow, October 1st 1915, joining the newly formed 22nd Battalion, Durham Light Infantry, a Pioneer Battalion made up of men trained to dig as well as fight. As Private 323 he joined his regiment training near home.
Having been handed over to the War Office, March 9th 1916, the regiment departed March 22nd 1916 to Scotton Camp, Catterick and after intensive training departed to France June 16th 1916. They arrived in France during the run up to the Battle of the Somme, programmed to begin June 29th 1916 but delayed due to bad weather until July 1st. The 22nd Battalion D.L.I. joined the 8th Division July 2nd assigned to ferry supplies to the front line and the wounded back to the dressing station. During this work at La Boiselle 5 men became the first casualties of the battalion.
July 31st 1917 saw the commencement of the 3rd Battle of Ypres in Belgium, however, the 22nd Battalion D.L.I. had been working in the area all summer digging communication trenches and laying a light railway in preparation for the offensive, subjected to shell-fire and mustard gas attacks, costing the lives of some 100 men.
Private 323 Thomas Brown Durham Light Infantry was killed in action June 25th 1917 and interred at Belgian Battery Corner Cemetery, grave I. A. 12. Age unknown and single.
As his sole beneficiary it was his sister Rose Ann Armour nee Brown who received all monies due to him from the Army and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Thomas Brown is remembered in Jarrow on J2.01. J2.03 and J2.10 and in the D.L.I. Book of Remembrance page 162
