Robert BROWN (1)

11 October 1918

ROLL OF HONOUR - HE DID HIS DUTY WELL

Mr. Brown, 35 George Street, Skipton, has received a letter stating that his son Private Robert Brown, D.L.I., was killed on the 29th September, and buried at Plooegsteert. The writer add:- "Your son was a good and willing soldier, and had done his duty faithfully and well." Prior to joining up on August 17th, 1917, Private Brown was employed by the Midland Railway Company. He had been in France about six months, and was 20 years of age. Official notice has not yet been received.

25 October 1918

BROWN - September 30th, 1918, killed in action in France, Private Robert Brown, D.L.I., son of Mr. and Mrs. Thos. Brown, 35 George Street, Skipton, aged 20 years.

"A beautiful memory left behind."

25 October 1918

MORE SKIPTON SACRIFICES

Mr. Thomas Brown, of 35 George Street, Skipton, has received official notice of the death of his son, Private Robert Brown, D.L.I. (as reported in our issue of the 11th). He was killed in action in France on September 30th. We regret a photograph is not available.

26 September 1919

BROWN - In loving memory of our dear son and brother, Pte. Robert Brown, I8th Durham Light Infantry, who fell in action Sept. 30th, 1918.

Far away from those who loved him,
His comrades laid him to rest
In a hero's grave he is sleeping,
Our loved one, one of the best.
War's bitter cost.
Ever in our thoughts.

From Father, Mother, Sister and Brother, 35 George Street, Skipton.

01 October 1920

BROWN - In Memoriam of a dear son and brother, Private Robert Brown, 18 D.L.I., killed in action September 29th, 1918.

Somewhere in France on the battlefield
His comrades laid him there;
And there is no cross to mark that place
Where he lies sleeping now.

From Father, Mother, Sister and Brother, 35 George Street, Skipton.

30 September 1921

BROWN - In loving memory of a dear son and brother, Pte. Robert Brown, D.L.I., killed in action, September 29th, 1918.

Sweet is the memory that will never fade
Of one we loved but could not save.

From All at 35 George Street, Skipton

23 February 1923

ODDFELLOWS' WAR MEMORIAL

UNVEILING CEREMONY AT A SKIPTON LODGE

OVER 200 WHO SERVED

There was a large attendance of local members of the Independent Order of Oddfellows at the Friendly Societies' Hall, Skipton, on Saturday afternoon, on the occasion of the unveiling of a war memorial to the members of the Loyal Traveller's Friend Lodge, I.O.O.F, M.U., who fell in the war.

The Memorial takes the form of a beautifully designed scroll within an oak frame with a glass front, the work of Mr. H. Spencer, junr., and it bears the inscription:-

LOYAL/TRAVELLER'S FRIEND LODGE,/SKIPTON DISTRICT ./I.O.O.F. ROLL OF HONOUR M.U./OF/THOSE MEMBERS OF THIS LODGE WHO FOUGHT FOR THEIR KING AND COUNTRY TO UPHOLD THE SACRED CAUSES OF BROTHERHOOD AND HUMANITY IN THE GREAT WAR, 1914-1918.

Below the inscription are the names of 173 members who served in the war, and of the 40 members who were killed. The names of the fallen occupy a central position on the scroll, and above them are the following words:-

IN MEMORIAM
OF THOSE WHO MADE THE
SUPREME SACRIFICE.
THEIR HEARTS ARE LIFTED UP
THEIR HEARTS
THAT HAVE FOREKNOWN
THE UTTER PRICE,
THEIR HEARTS BURN
UPWARD AS A FLAME
OF SPLENDOUR AND OF
SACRIFICE

The names of the fallen are as follows:- H. Armstrong, J.J. Brown, J. Barrett, Robt. Brown, W.W. Bell, A. Clayton, W.H. Coles, T.C. Chew, Tom Downes, T.M. Drummond, Jos. Emmott, Thos. Edmondson, J. Easterby, F. Gallagher, J.W. Garwood, G.E. Godwin, S.J. Hargreaves, M. Hargreaves, A. Hebden, J. Hebden, A. Hawkswell, T.E. Inman, M. Lund, R.C. [R.G.] Metcalfe, Hbt. Maudsley, Hy. Maudsley, A.J. Pimnock [Pinnock], H.Y. [Harry] Riley, T.W. Storey, J.H. Stewart, R. Spencer, J.W. Shuttleworth, Wm. Tempest, Hbt. Thompson, Fred Thornton, J.W. Varley, John Ward, J.A. Whittaker, J.W. Whittaker, and R.D. Whittaker.

The Unveiling Ceremony

The unveiling ceremony was presided over by Bro. Thos. Bellamy, and was performed by Bro. Amos Culpan, Prov. C.S., and a simple service included the singing of the hymns, 'O God our help' and Kipling's Recessional, 'God of our fathers,' and the reading of a portion of Scripture, and the offering of a prayer by Bro. James Greenwood, of Bradford, and formerly of Skipton.

Bro. Bellamy observed that those members of the Lodge whom they were met to honour went into battle, suffered untold privations, and, in many cases, made the supreme sacrifice. They gave their lives in defence of their homes and their country. Further than that, they gave their lives for justice and freedom, and in order that we might live. It was the duty of Oddfellows, equally as much as other sections of the community, to do everything within their power to make the country better for that sacrifice. "In the time of our prosperity," concluded Bro. Bellamy, "never let us forget those who served us in the time of our adversity."

A Lesson of the War

Prior to unveiling the memorial, Bro. Culpan described the ceremony he had been asked to perform as one not unattended by sorrow. It was an occasion upon which one felt a desire to make their Order better for the sacrifice of its members, and to extend the true spirit of brotherhood. In nearly 4,000 of their Lodges they would find a roll of honour. Over 22,000 of their members made the supreme sacrifice, and thousands of others were ruined and shattered in health and without prospects for the future. Each and all of them ought to perform some daily service that would make the sacrifice of those men worth while. One result of the terrible ordeal of 1914 to 1918 was the creation of a better feeling between men, and a desire to break down the class barriers that formerly existed. That was one of the great lessons of the war.