De Ruvigny Roll of Honour Vol 3 page 34

Illustrated London News 28th July 1917 page 18

With thanks to Brasenose College, Oxford

Alfred Percy Brewis born in Newcastle-on-Tyne, on the 23rd April 1895, the eldest son of Alfred Brewis, of 20 Granville Road, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Shipowner, and his wife Sophia Louise, daughter of Alfred C. Coning.

Alfred was educated at *Uppingham, and matriculated at Brasenose College, Oxford.

Alfred Percy Brewis matriculated in 1914. As he commenced his war service in October 1914 it is very likely that he left Brasenose not long after matriculating. Matriculation usually occurs in a student’s first term. We do not have a record of his course of study but his Tutor in College was Herbert Francis Fox, a Classics Fellow at Brasenose. He may have been studying for a general pass degree, which was taken by a large number of students at that time. This would have included the study of classical texts in Latin and Greek, as well as Logic, Ethics, Mathematics, Geometry, Philosophy and Theology.

He was residing at 20 Granville Road, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Alfred obtained a commission in October 1914, and was a 2nd Lieutenant, then temporary Lieutenant on the 29th December 1914. Then promoted temporary captain on the 27th September 1915.

Alfred was attached to the 5th Battalion, the East Lancashire Regiment, where he served with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force at Gallipoli from May 1915, to the evacuation, was sent to Egypt and Sinai, and later served with the Expeditionary Force in France, he was killed in action at Havrincourt Wood 1 June, 1917. Buried at Neuville Bourjonval. Alfred was mentioned in Despatches by F.M. Sir Douglas Haig (London Gazette, 18/12/1917) for gallant and distinguished service in the field. He was unmarried.

De Ruvigny Roll of Honour.

He is remembered on Uppingham School's Roll of Honour which has been recently renovated after being re-discovered.

In 1919 the Junior House known as ‘Springfields’ or ‘Lower School’ (which is now The Lodge boarding house); moved to Nevill Holt and was no longer an integral part of Uppingham.

* The Honours Board recorded the names of all the Lower School boys who fought in the Great War. Sadly in many cases they were killed in action, which is indicated on the inscriptions with an asterisk. The majority of the Lower School boys went on to the senior school and those who died will also have their names inscribed on individual House memorials.

He is remembered on the Brasenose War Memorial at Oxford.

The Brazen Nose (Vol. 2, No. 7, Nov 1917, page 306); has his obituary which reads as follows:- Alfred Percy Brewis came to Brasenose from Uppingham, where he had been Captain of his House, in October 1914, but left within a few days in order to obtain a commission in the Northumberland Fusiliers. He was gazetted Second-Lieutenant before the end of the month, Lieutenant in the following December, and [Temporary] Captain in September 1915. He was serving at the Dardanelles from May 1915 till the evacuation. While there his life seems to have been saved on one occasion through his devotion to duty and care for his men.

He went forward to join them during a burst of shell-fire and on his return found that the other officers had been killed on the spot where he had left them.

It was to a similar act that his death was due. It appears from letters of fellow officers in the East Lancashire Regiment, to which he was attached, that in June 1 the enemy began to shell a portion of the front line occupied by Captain Brewis and his company. Although in a safe dug-out he at once went to see if any of his men had been injured, and he had not gone far when he was killed by the bursting of a shell.

From the reputation which he brought from School and from his gallant conduct in the War, we know that he lived to return to Oxford he would have worthily maintained the Uppingham connection which has meant so much to the College in recent years.

Thanks to Georgina

Alfred Percy Brewis is remembered at Alnwick in A11.43 page 6, in A11.56 page 51, at Bamburgh on B3.01, in Jesmond on J1.08, J1.21 and Gosforth G9.31 and G9.37

Baliffgate Museum
Roll of Honour
The CWGC entry for Captain Brewis