Morpeth Herald 19/01/1917 carries an obituary:
SAPPER HERBERT BROWN OF SEATON BURN
It is with feelings of great regret that we have to record the death in action of Sapper Herbert Brown, of the Royal Engineers, who was killed instantly by a shell in France on January 5th.
[The] deceased was in his 21st year, having celebrated the 20th anniversary of his birthday on the field on June 18th last, and was the only son of Councillor and Mrs John Brown of Seaton Burn, and grandson of the late Mr William Pearson Brown and Mr Joseph Davison of Morpeth.
Having received a thorough elementary education at Dudley Council School under Mr R. Pratt, he proceeded to Morpeth Grammar School, where he proved himself a diligent, apt, and successful student.
He was a devotee of cricket and football, and played in his school form teams. He also joined the school Cadet Corps on its establishment.
On leaving school he went to the office of the Newcastle-upon-Tyne branch of the North British and Mercantile Insurance Company. His worth and capacity for work there was soon recognised, and he became a great favourite with the officials and staff.
With a view to his advancement he studied and sat for the preliminary examination of the Chartered Insurance [Institute], London, gaining two firsts and two passes out of four subjects, and secured the certificate of the Institute.
When the war broke out he was anxious to serve his King and country on a foreign field. It was not, however, before the following July that he could be released for the Army.
He eventually received his special course of training for the Signal Company of the Engineers, an arm of the Service that Sir Douglas Haig so highly commended in his report on the battle of the Somme, and passed with honours in all branches of the examination.
He had been in France eight months.
Of fine physique, he was a promising young man, with a singular smartness of character and cheeriness of disposition. He leaves a wide circle of friends to mourn his loss.
The father of the deceased has received the following letter:- “It is with deep regret that I have to inform you that your son, Herbert, was killed in action.
“He was out with Sergt. Mitchison and a party, and came under heavy shell fire. It will be some slight comfort for you to know that death must have been instantaneous. His comrades join with me in expressing to you and yours our heartfelt condolences in this the hour of your sorrow.
“He died as [he] would have wished – serving his country, and now lives [sic] at rest in a soldiers’ graveyard near the front line. I cannot close without an appreciation of the work your boy has done out here. He will be missed not only by his officers but by all who knew him.- Yours etc. CHAS. F. BAGNALL, Capt. Jan. 8th, 1917
We are requested to add [that] there will be a memorial service at the Presbyterian Church at Seaton Burn on Sunday evening first at six o’clock.
Herbert Brown is remembered at Seaton Burn on S88.01
