Photo: Simon Brown with thanks
Medal Index Card
Unknown Newspaper article circa 1940/41
Photo : Roy Branson with thanks
Corporal James Brown, Sam Brown and Joe Brown
John Brown was born on the 15th February 1899 at Derby Road, Hasland, Chesterfield, Derbyshire the eldest son of eight children to Mr Thomas Brown, [born 1875], and his wife Mary Anne born 15th February 1879, [nee Cain, third child, a daughter of a [James?] Dennis Cain, born Ireland 1842, a seaman labourer, and his wife Mary Anne Cain, born 1847 also in Ireland]. Thomas and Mary Ann were married in 1898. In 1891 Mary Anne Cain was a servant at Galton Street, Liverpool. In 1939 she was residing at 4 Meakin Street, Chesterfield, with May Brown, born 8th May 1912, Frederick Brown born 25th October 1937 and Joseph Brown born 15th July 1939.
In 1911 they were residing at 57 Calow Lane, Hasland, Chesterfield, Derbyshire with nine children, Ellen born 1897, John born 1899, Thomas born 1902, Elizabeth born 1904, James born 1908, Frederick Arthur born 1908 and Joseph born January 1911. The father was now an engineer labourer welder. They had four other children after the 1911 census Sam born 1913, Dorothy born 1915, Sidney and another daughter Lily.
John Brown enlisted into the West Riding Regiment at Chesterfield around March 1917, [he stated his birthplace as Walton], with the service number 22509, and was transferred into the 9th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, before finally transferring to the 1st Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, service number 65110.
The War Diary for the 1st Northumberland Fusiliers mentions a J. Brown as a batman to a 2nd Lieutenant Blenkinsop. Brown and an officer 2nd Lieutenant Davidson of 'Y' Company where advancing by themselves when they encountered a German outpost at the corner of a wood, north west of the orchard. Brown bayonetted the nearest German Davidson shot another, others of the enemy thought they were going to be overwhelmed by superior numbers started to put up their hands to surrender, when suddenly a machine gun at close range suddenly opened fire, forcing the officer and guide to seek cover.
The Battalion lost 38 casualties on the 4/5th May 1918.
John was killed on Wednesday 8th May 1918.
Four of the sons served in World War 2 and another son Thomas also served in WW1. See the Newspaper clipping attached.
Acknowledgments : Simon Brown
Research: Cynthia Kent/James Pasby
He is not remembered on a North East War Memorial. He is remembered on the war memorial in the village where he was living when enlisting, a place called Hasland, a small village in Chesterfield Derbyshire.