Heslop's Local Advertiser
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Robert Brown was born at Wardley, near Gateshead, County Durham, March 19th 1889, the eldest son and one of 8 children of whom only 7 survived, 2 sons and 5 daughters, his elder sister Mary Hannah Brown born 1886 died in 1887. His father William Brown was native of Usworth, County Durham born May 7th 1862, he married Sarah Ann Moralee born 1862 at Ryhope, County Durham, at St, Mary Heworth, Gateshead, August 19th 1882. They were living at 10, Sunderland Street, Heworth in 1891, William was employed as a banksman at the colliery, later they moved to Quarry Row. To supplement the family income at Quarry Row they had taken in a boarder Michael Brown a shipyard labourer aged 55 years, he is not listed as a family relative. Robert’s father died at Quarry Road, September 7th 1908, hopefully he had been able to attend his son’s wedding which took place during the 3rd quarter (Jul/Aug/Sep) of 1908.
Robert married at Gateshead Sarah Jane Houghton born 1889 at Hindley, Lancashire, in 1911 they were living at 8, Front Street, Penshaw, County Durham with their 1 year old daughter Sarah Ann. They moved back to Felling where they had a further 2 children, Elsie later that same year in 1911 and Robert Jnr born in 1913.
At the time of his enlistment they were living at 35, Quarry Row, Heworth. Robert Brown enlisted October 22nd 1914 assigned as Able Seaman Tyneside Z/526 Collingwood Battalion “A” Company 2nd Platoon, February 4th 1915. Collingwood was one of 8 battalion created by Winston Churchill, First Lord of the Admiralty made up of the surplus of men who had volunteered on the outbreak of war for the Army that had been enlisted in the Naval Reserve.
Collingwood Battalion trained at Blandford Camp in Dorset learning trench construction and trench warfare. As part of the 2nd Brigade he departed with the second wave of troops leaving Blandford at 5am, May 10th 1915 for Plymouth, embarking on H.M. Transport Ivernia which sailed via Gibraltar and Malta on its way to Mundros. It arrived at Mundros May 27th 1915 and the troops were informed they would be leaving for the front, Saturday May 29th. They departed at 7 a.m. packed into four lighters (barges) arriving of Cape Helles. Once on the beach they marched for about a mile and a half to their temporary camp departing the following day for the trenches where they worked digging trenches and came under continuous shell fire.
June 4th the 2nd Brigade R.N.V.R. consisting of the French and Anson, Hood and Howe Battalions moved forward to attack on the Gallipoli peninsular, Collingwood was in support, Robert as part of “A” Company went over the top at 12.15 in support of Anson, they made little advance then retired due to heavy losses.
June 6th 1915 he was transferred to Hood Battalion and had also risen through the ranks to Leading Seaman. The battalions were weakened and could not be employed in anything other than manning the trench lines but even so casualties were occurring regularly.
September 30th 1915 Leading Seaman TZ/526 Robert Brown R.N.V.R. was reported as missing, it was also reported that he had been buried by an explosion. He was officially considered to have been killed in action the following year, July 1916, however the C.W.G.C. has adopted the date of September 30th 1915 as the date of his demise. He was 26 years old.
Leading Seaman Brown has no known grave, his name is inscribed on the Helles Memorial near Sedd el Bahr, Turkey, commemorating the 20,885 servicemen of The Commonwealth who died during the entire Gallipoli Campaign. The memorial takes the form of an obelisk over 30 metres high that can be seen by shipping passing through the Dardanelles.
His widow Sarah Jane received all monies due to him, his awards of the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal, sent to her at 35, Quarry Row, Felling, Gateshead, County Durham. She remarried in 1920 to Evan Barron, her new address was 30, Back Holly Street, Felling. Evan and Sarah had 2 children, Leslie Barron born in 1924 and Margaret E. Barron in 1925.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
His death was reported in Heslop's Local Advertiser 21/07/1916:
"Leading Seaman Brown, Royal Naval Division, Collingwood Battalion. Previously reported missing since 22nd Sept. 1915, now reported killed. Husband of Sarah Jane Brown, 35 Quarry Road, Felling, and son-in-law of Daniel and Margaret Houghton, Church Institute, Felling. "
He is remembered at Felling on F32.07
