Category Archives: WW1

Brown, Alfred

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Alfred Brown - football team unknown

Alfred Brown – football team unknown

The following information has been kindly supplied by Peter Hannah

Alfred George Brown was born on the 26th March 1883, the 4th of five children to Alfred Brown (b.1851) and Mary Ann (b.1856, maiden name unknown, possibly Brewer) Their other 4 children were, Emily M (b.1878) Jessie M (b.1880) Elizabeth E M (b.1881) and Harry W (b.1885)
The above photograph shows him in his football kit (team unknown) and was sup- plied to me by his descendants living in Australia.

The first two children were born in Rotherhithe and the last three in Wimbledon. Alfred followed his father’s occupation as a “Lather” in the building trade. This has something to do with putting up boards and partitions in homes ready for plastering. Census records for 1891 had the family living at 81 Haydons Rd, Wimbledon, the 1901 Census at 162 South Park Rd, South Wimbledon and the 1911 Census at 31 Kingston Rd, Wimbledon, however by that time all the children had moved out.

1st World War

Alfred enlisted on the 21st July 1915, Regimental No. 13271, 13th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment. His service records confirmed he was 5ft 9in tall, his girth when fully expanded was 37 inches and it would appear that he had 4 large vaccination marks as under distinctive marks it states 4 L. Vaccs.

At the time he was living at 115 Rowans Terrace, Mitcham with Ellen and his two children.
He was posted to France on the 3rd June 1916, however, before leaving for the battle field on the 1st June, like a lot of soldiers were encourage to do, he wrote out his Will as follows:
He was killed in Action on the 13th October 1916, just over 4 months after arriving on the front.
My original investigations into where he was killed led me to believe that he may have been involved in the Battle of the Transloy Ridges, part of the Battles of the Somme, as this took place at the time of his death and Transloy is not that far from where he is buried. However, the recent publication of the War Diaries and in particular those of the 13th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment, confirmed that in October 1916 they were based in Mazingarbe where they were involved in heavy fighting in the nearby area of Hulluch, which is about 4 to 5 miles from Marzingarbe.

The entry for the 13th October 1916 confirmed 1 o r killed and 1 o r died of wounds. I believe that o r could stand for ordinary recruit*, but I am not sure. But it must be a strong possibility that one of these two soldiers was Alfred.
The diaries go on to mention Philosophe and it is the Philosophe British Cemetery, Marzingarbe where Alfred was buried.

Part of Alfred’s war records include a letter from the Ministry of Pensions dated 15th May 1917 confirming that Alfred’s widow Ellen would receive a War Pension of 22/11 (22 shillings and 11 pence) a week for herself and her two children, with effect from the 14th July 1917. Ellen would also have received Alfred’s two War Medals, The British War Medal and the Victory Medal along with the following Scroll and Plaque:
The date of death on this copy is incorrect and I’m not sure if these details would have been quoted on the original document.

What happened to Alfred’s War Medals, the Scroll and Plaque following the death of Ellen in 1929 is unsure.

References
* OR was Other Rank, see British Army Abbreviations
Commonwealth war Graves Commission

Lt. W. H. M. Simpson

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William Herbert Mostyn SIMPSON was born in June 1893. He was the son of William Francis Joseph Simpson, who was the grandson of calico printer William Simpson, who had married Emily Cranmer in 1818, and had inherited the Cranmer estates which included the Canons and Park Place.

At the outbreak of war in August 1914, W. H. M. Simpson joined up and was granted a commission as a lieutenant in the East Surrey Regiment. He was amongst the first of the British Forces to see action in Belgium, and was mortally wounded at Wolferghem, dying five days before Christmas Day 1914. He is buried at the Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, according to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website. A memorial stone is in the parish churchyard, near the family tomb which is close to the entrance of the church.

The shock of his death was such that his mother became seriously ill, and was confined to a wheelchair. His parents left Mitcham before the end of the War and sold Park Place.

Source : Eric Montague’s Mitcham Histories : 11 The Cranmers, The Canons and Park Place pp 131-132.

From the Mitcham and Tooting Mercury, 1st January 1915:

DEATH OF LIEUT. SIMPSON

Another well-known and respected name in Mitcham has to be added to the already long list of those who have given their lives for King and Country. Last week, news was received of the death of Lieutenant W.H.M. Simpson, elder son of Mr W.F.J. Simpson, which took place in the Boulogne Military Hospital from wounds received in battle. Lieut Simpson was only 21 years of age.

Mrs Simpson received the following letter from the Roman Catholic Chaplain :-

“Dear Madam,

I regret to inform you that Lieutenant Simpson was brought in dangerously wounded last night, 18th inst. He asked for a priest immediately, and I found him in full possession of his faculties, and wearing his rosary medal and crucifix. I heard his confession and gave him all the sacraments. I called again this morning at 7:30, after my mass, but he was sinking rapidly, and passed away peacefully whilst I was saying the prayer for the dying. The poor boy had been shot through the neck and the spine, and did not suffer much. He made a most beautiful death, asking pardon of God for all his past life, and offering up his young life in accordance with God’s holy will. May God give you courage and strength to bear this cross, and I should not forget him in Holy Mass.

Yours in sympathy,
Peter Grobel, Chaplain to the Forces.”

The Simpson family is one of the oldest in Mitcham, having first resided here in 1690.

His death was reported in national newspapers:
Newcastle Journal – Wednesday 23 December 1914

Lieutenant W. H. M. Simpson (died of wounds on December 19, in hospital at Boulogne) was gazetted to the 3rd Battalion East Surrey Regiment September 6 of this year. He was the eldest son of Mr W. F. J. Simpson, of Mitcham, Surrey.

Surrey Mirror – Friday 25 December 1914

SIMPSON—Died of wounds Dec. 19th, at Stationary Hospital Boulogne. Lieut. W. H. M. Simpson, East Surrey Regt., eldest son William F. J. Simpson, Mitcham, aged twenty-one.