Lt Edmund Kenneth Wallace BROWN

[jimmyjames]

This young officer is commemorated on the Cheltenham War Memorial. He was involved in a drowning accident on the Northumberland Coast at Blyth which took the lives of eight other soldiers of 5th (Reserve) Bn Royal Warks Regt on 24th August 1917.

It appears that after a long march many soldiers rushed into the sea to cool down and some got into difficulty, caught by treacherous currents.

Lt Brown who was 23 at the time of his death, is not recorded in ODGW and his listing in the DoHR states that his unit was 6th Bn Royal Warks Regts. I have had no luck in tracing his MIC on-line.

I would be most grateful for any info on this officer, the 5th Bn, and any other details of the incident on the beach at Blyth.

Regards

Jimmy

[rflory]

There is a biography of this officer in Leaving all that was dear: Cheltenham and the Great War which gives some information concerning the accident and also indicates that he was a Lieutenant in the 6th Bn, Royal Warwicks. Regards. Dick Flory

[jimmyjames]

Hi Dick

Thanks for your note. It was this very bio which gave me the inspiration to seek more info on Edmund Brown and on the tragic incident.

The eight soldiers who drowned were all 5th (Res) Bn men and by the time of the incident Edmund's unit, the 3/6th Bn had became the 6th (Res) Bn on 8th April 1916, which was subsequently absorbed by the 5th (Res) Bn on 1st September 1916.

I'll get there in the end!!

Regards

Jimmy

[Staffsyeoman]

I am on good terms with one of the authors of 'Leaving all that was dear' and will enquire as to whether there may be more at hand.