Main CPGW Record
Surname: BROWN
Forename(s): Oscar
Place of Birth: Glusburn, Yorkshire
Service No: 265714
Rank: Private
Regiment / Corps / Service: Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment)
Battalion / Unit: 1/4th Battalion
Division: 49th (West Riding) Division
Age: 27
Date of Death: 1918-04-10
Awards: ---
CWGC Grave / Memorial Reference: Panel 82 to 85.
CWGC Cemetery: ---
CWGC Memorial: TYNE COT MEMORIAL
Non-CWGC Burial: ---
Local War Memorial: CROSSHILLS, YORKSHIRE
Local War Memorial: KILDWICK, YORKSHIRE
Local War Memorial: SUTTON-IN-CRAVEN, YORKSHIRE
Additional Information:
Oscar Brown was the son of Jonathan and Elizabeth Brown, née Wrathall. Jonathan was born at Lothersdale, Yorkshire and Elizabeth at Liverpool, Lancashire.
1891 Glusburn, Yorkshire Census: Croft Head Terrace - Asher [sic] Brown, aged 2 months, born Glusburn, son of Jonathan and Elizabeth Brown.
1901 Glusburn, Yorkshire Census: 20, Institute Street - Oscor [sic] Brown, aged 10 years, born Glusburn, son of Jonathan and Elizabeth A. Brown.
Oscar was married to Edith Maud Bland in 1910.
1911 Glusburn, Yorkshire Census: 20, Croft Street - Oscar Brown, aged 21 years, born Glusburn, husband of Edith Maud Brown.
British Army WW1 Medal Rolls Index Cards: Pte Oscar Brown, 265714, W. Rid. R.
British Army WW1 Medal and Award Rolls: Pte Oscar Brown, 265714, 1/5 W. Rid. R.; 1/4 W. Rid. R. Pres died 10.4.18.
Army Registers of Soldiers' Effects: Pte Oscar Brown, 265714, 1/4th Bn W. Riding. Date and Place of Death: 10.4.18 death presumed. France. To whom Authorised/Amount Authorised: Widow - Edith M. £27 8s. 5d.
UK, WW1 Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923: card(s) exist for Oscar. Name(s) on card(s): Widow: Edith M., born 6.10.87. Address: 20, Croft Street, Gilburn [sic], Keighley, Yorks. Children: Kathleen Maud, born 16.6.10. Nellie, born 1.7.11.
Oscar was killed in action during the Battle of Messines, 1918, 10-11 April.
The entry for Oscar is duplicated in the CPGW book; the photograph above is on page 355, the second entry is on page 377 with a different photograph of him: see View Additional Images(s).
Data Source: Craven’s Part in the Great War - original CPGW book entry
View Entry in CPGW BookEntry in West Yorkshire Pioneer Illustrated War Record:
BROWN, Oscar, West Riding Regiment, Croft Street, [Glusburn], killed April 10, 1918.
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Private Oscar BROWN
Regiment / Corps / Service Badge: Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment)
Divisional Sign / Service Insignia: 49th (West Riding) Division
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Additional Photo(s) For Soldier Records
THE ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS, April 27, 1918
OUR FIGHTING RETREAT FROM ARMENTIÈRES: THE FIVE DAYS’ DEFENCE OF ERQUINGHEM. DRAWN BY H. W. KOEKKOEK FROM MATERIAL SUPPLIED BY AN EYE-WITNESS. Erquinghem is about two miles west of Armentières (seen in the distance in the right background of our drawing), and lies on the road (seen in the middle distance on the right) leading west by south to Estaires and Merville. A pontoon-bridge over the River Lys is shown on the extreme left in the background. In the right foreground is the British first-line trench, and further to the left are rows of sectional trenches. Writing on April 11, Mr. H. Perry Robinson said: “When the success of the first attack on Ploegsteert permitted the Germans to pour through on the north side, while on the south side the fighting was going on about Estaires, the threat to our garrison in the Armentières area was evidently so great, with the enemy nearly making contact from both flanks in the rear, that it was withdrawn first to Erquinghem soon after midday yesterday, and then to a line in front of Nieppe, which line we still hold.” [The 1/4th Bn Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment) fought in and around Erquinghem on the 10th April 1918]
Kindly supplied by Robert S. Richardson
CPGW book page 377. Photograph from 'Craven Herald' (30 August 1918)
Private Oscar Brown
Tyne Cot Memorial
Courtesy of Allan Hartley, High Bentham
View Craven Herald Articles
View Craven Herald Articles
31 December 1915
GLUSBURN - The Death of Mr. Jonathan Brown
The death took place on Friday of Mr. Jonathan Brown, of Sunnyside Villas, Glusburn, at the age of 62 years. Mr. Brown was well-known in the village, where he had resided all his life, and he had worked for Messrs. J.C. Horsfall at Hayfield Mills for a period of over 30 years as a joiner. The interment took place on Monday afternoon at the Sutton Baptist Church. The service at the house was conducted by the Rev. Edwin Smith, Pastor of the Baptist Mission Hall, Glusburn, and the last rites at the church and graveside were performed by the Rev. F. Ward Pollard, the minister of the Sutton Baptist Church. The deceased leaves a widow, seven sons and three daughters. Two of the sons are now serving their country in the Army.
19 October 1917
GLUSBURN
Private Oscar Brown, husband of Mrs. Brown of Glusburn, has been slightly wounded in the hand.
24 May 1918
WOUNDED AND MISSING
Private Oscar Brown, of the West Ridings, is officially posted as missing. He was a joiner by trade for Messrs. J. C. Horsfall and Sons, Glusburn, and has been in the Army about three years. He has three brothers serving with the Forces in various parts of the field.
23 August 1918
GLUSBURN - PRIVATE OSCAR BROWN KILLED: One of Five Brothers
Mrs. Oscar Brown, of Glusburn, has received a notification from the Red Cross Society at Geneva that her husband, Private Oscar Brown, of the West Riding Regiment, has been killed. The letter says:-
"Dear Madam, - We are much grieved to inform you that the following report appears on lists despatched from Berlin:- '1/7/18 O. Brown No. 265714 West Riding Regiment. Killed and buried in a grave north of La Holanderie [La Rolanderie] near the road to Fleurbaix.'
"Should we receive further particulars at a later date, we will let you know. We trust you will accept our deep sympathy with you in your great loss."
Private Brown was wounded in the hand in the fighting in October last year. He was one of five brothers with the Forces, and joined up in the early days of the War. At the time of enlisting, he was a joiner for Messrs. J. C. Horsfall and Sons, Hayfield Mills, Glusburn.
30 August 1918
GLUSBURN - THE LATE PRIVATE OSCAR BROWN
The above is a photograph of Private Oscar Brown, one of five brothers in the Forces, who, as reported in our columns last week, was killed north of La Holanderie [La Rolanderie], near the road to Fleurbaix. His wife lives at Glusburn, and we extend sincere sympathy to her in this very sad bereavement. Private Brown, before enlistment, was a joiner in the employ of Sir John Horsfall and Sons, Hayfield Mills.
View West Yorkshire Pioneer Articles
View West Yorkshire Pioneer Articles
17 May 1918
CRAVEN AND THE WAR
Glusburn Soldier Missing
Information has been received that Private Oscar Brown, West Riding Regiment, has been missing since April 10th. Pte. Brown, who is married, is the fourth son of Mrs. and the late Mr. Jonathan Brown, of Sunnyside Villas, Glusburn, and was home on leave about two months ago. He has six brothers, four of whom are serving. Prior to joining the colours he was employed at the firm of Messrs. J.C. Horsfall and Sons. He joined up in October, 1914 and has been out in France about two years.
23 August 1918
Glusburn Soldier's Death
Mrs. Oscar Brown, of Croft Street, Glusburn, has received information from the Geneva Prisoner of War Agency, stating that her husband, Pte. Oscar Brown, West Riding Regiment, who had been missing since April 10th, was amongst the killed, and had been buried north of La Holanderie [La Rolanderie], near the road to Fleurbaix. The information has been received by the agency through Berlin. Pte. Brown was the fifth son of the late Mr. Jonathan Brown and Mrs. Brown, of the Villas, Glusburn. He joined the army in August, 1914. He had five brothers, four of whom are still serving. He leaves a widow and two children. Prior to joining the forces he was employed as joiner at Sir J.C. Horsfall and Sons.
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