Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of John Brown a bricklayer’s labourer, born on the 27th September 1858 in Quorn, Leicestershire, and his wife Mary Jane Brown (nee Waldram, married on the 17th October 1880 in the Parish Church, Quorn, Leicestershire), born 1855 in Manchester, Lancashire. George Edwin was born in the 4th quarter of 1887 in Quorn, his siblings were William Waldram, born 1881, Mary Elizabeth, born 1883 and John Samuel, born 1885, all his siblings were born in Quorn, in April 1891 the family home was at Freehold Street, Quorn. In March 1901 George was employed as a paper boy and was residing in the family home at Barrow Lane, Quorn, together with his father, a bricklayer’s labourer, his mother and siblings, William, an apprentice upholsterer, Mary, a hosiery trade counter girl, John, a polisher and Walter Newton, a paper boy, born 1895 in Quorn. In April 1911 George was absent from the family home at Barrow Road, Quorn, residing there was his father, a bricklayer, his mother and siblings, Mary a hosiery trade worker and Walter a print trade worker, George was serving as a Private with the Lincolnshire Regiment, and was undergoing his training at the Depot in Lincoln.
George enlisted/attested into the Regular Army on the 22nd February 1910 in Leicester, and was allotted the service number 8857. He gave his place of birth as Quorn, Loughborough, Leicestershire and age as 22 years 4 months. Marital status as single and his trade or calling as elastic hand.
His medical examination recorded that he was 5 feet 6½ inches in height, weighed 117 lbs, had a chest measurement of between 32½ and 35½ inches, his complexion was described as fresh, he had brown eyes and his hair colour was dark brown, his physical development was described as good. The following distinctive marks were noted, a mole on his left nipple, he gave his religion as Church of England.
He gave his next of kin as his father, John Brown, his mother Mary Jane Brown, his brother Walter Brown and sister Mary Brown, all of Freemans Cottages, Barrow Road, Quorn, Leicestershire and his brothers William and John Brown of Philadelphia, USA.
During his period of military service the following events of note occurred:-
Joined. Depot. Lincolnshire Regt. Lincoln. Pte. 25/2/10 – 31/5/10.
Posted. To 2nd Bn. Lincolnshire Regt. Aldershot. 31/5/10 – 30/9/10.
Posted. To Portsmouth. 30/9/10 – 6/2/11.
Posted. To 1st Bn. Lincolnshire Regt. Embarked aboard H. T. Plessy. 7/2/11.
Disembarked in Aden. 25/2/11 – 12/1/12.
Posted. To 2nd Bn. Lincolnshire Regt. Gibraltar. 13/1/12.
Admitted. To Hospital. Gibraltar. Dislocation of the left ulna. 16/1/12.
Awarded. 8 days detention by the Officer Commanding for “Not complying with an order” on the 20/5/12. To Detention Barracks. 20/5/12.
Awarded. 3rd Class Certificate of Education. 31/7/12.
Posted. To Bermuda. 7/1/14 – 13/9/14.
Admitted. To No.3 Hospital. Septic toe. 29/12/14.
Transferred. To England aboard No.3 Ambulance Ship suffering from frost bite. 1/1/15.
Posted. To 3rd Bn. Lincolnshire Regt. 8/3/15.
Posted. To 1st Bn. Lincolnshire Regt. 24/4/15.
Killed in action. In the field. 13/8/15.
Summary of Service.
Home Service. 22/2/10 – 6/2/11. 350 days.
Aden. 7/2/11 – 12/1/12. 340 days.
Gibraltar. 13/1/12 – 6/1/14. 1 year 359 days.
Bermuda. 7/1/14 – 19/10/14. 286 days.
Home Service. 20/10/14 – 4/11/14. 16 days.
British Expeditionary Force, France. 5/11/14 – 1/1/15. 58 days.
Home Service. 2/1/15 – 23/4/15. 112 days.
British Expeditionary Force, France. 24/4/15 – 13/8/15. 112 days.
Total service 5 years 173 days.
He was awarded the 1914 Star, Clasp & Rose, British War Medal and the Allied Victory Medal.
George’s surviving service record amounts to a total of twenty three pages, of which only sixteen pages relate directly to his military service, and these are in extremely poor condition with much of the hand written information in some cases barely legible, damaged or missing entirely, however the content does offer at least a little descriptive insight into some of the events that took place during his period of military service.
The War Diary records: 13 Aug-15 – All quiet during the morning. Weather bright and warm, light South Westerly breeze. At about 2.30pm the enemy commenced shelling the wood between support trenches and N.Q. and also shelled the Headquarter dug outs with light shrapnel. A report came from “D” Company in the support trenches that the enemy were using gas shells. Smoke helmets were quickly adjusted and were effective in preventing the fumes from doing any harm other than a slight irritation of the eyes. Conditions became quiet about 4.15pm. The Battalion was relieved towards midnight by the 7th Battalion RIFLE BRIGADE. Casualties 1 killed, 2 wounded.
SUMMARY: The extension of front held by the Battalion was about 350 yards. The distance between our fire trenches and the enemy varied from 400 to 600 yards. Communication trenches connected the fire trenches and support trenches, and support trenches and Headquarters. The support trenches were about 500 yards in rear of fire trenches, Headquarters were in a wood 250 yards in rear of support trenches. Headquarters could be approached during daylight without exposure to the enemy. The enemy systematically shell our position during this period with light shells otherwise conditions were normal.
On Tuesday, August, 31st, 1915 The Leicester Daily Post published the following article under the heading. “LEICESTERSHIRE AND THE WAR.” – ROLL OF HONOUR. – Intimation has been received that Pte. G. BROWN, of the 1st Lincoln’s, was killed in action in France on August 12th. Private Brown, whose parents live in Barrow-road, Quorn, had been in the army five years, and was 26 years of age.
On Thursday, September, 2nd, 1915 The Leicester Daily Post published the following photographs and details:- Private G. BROWN, 1st Lincolns, killed in action in France on August 12th. His parents live at Quorn.
On Friday September 3rd 1915 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “DISTRICT WAR ITEMS.” – QUORN SOLDIER KILLED. – Intimation has been received that Pte. G. Brown, of the 1st Lincolns, was killed in action in France on August 12th. Private Brown, whose parents live in Barrow Road, Quorn, had been in the army five years, and was 26 years of age.