John Taylor and Ann Norman have submitted the following:
William Brown was born in Gateshead about 1874, the son of Andrew and Jane Brown. Before the First World War he served for 16 years with the Royal Engineers before returning to civilian life.
In 1915 he answered the call for volunteers and rejoined the Royal Engineers with the rank of Sapper on a short service attestation, regimental number 102603. He served as a tunnellers mate with the 174th Tunnelling Company. His enlistment form from 1915 shows that his address is 1 Flag End Terrace, Eighton Banks, He died from the effects of a mine explosion on the Western Front on 14th October 1915. His next of kin was a brother in Darlington, John, who inherited his personal effects and medals. He also had a brother, George, in Milvain Street Gateshead. He was first buried in the village cemetery, then re-interred in the Chipilly Communal Cemetery, part of the Morlancourt Group of cemeteries in France.
