21st October 1914

Private George Frederick Brown was killed in action with the 2nd Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment on 21st October 1914. Confusingly, the Soldiers Died in the Great War volume lists his death as being on 11th May 1915.

Luckily, Rev. Thomas William Downing, the Vicar of Knowle from 1901 until his death in 1932, kept a detailed register of men from the parish who served during the war. Canon Downing’s list – Knowle Men – is now at Warwickshire County Record Office (ref.: DRB56/268/1) and it featured on their Friends’ Facebook page as Document of the Month in June 2014. The list clearly shows that George Frederick Brown, apparently known as Fred, was posted missing on 21st October 1914. It wasn’t until 1916 that he was officially declared killed in action – this was reported in the parish magazine of June 1916.

It seems that Private Brown was a regular soldier but only served on the front line for exactly one week before being killed, as his medal index card gives his Qualifying Date (the date on which he entered a Theatre of War) as 14th October 1914.

Unfortunately, it looks as if Private Brown’s service record was one of those destroyed by bombing in the Second World War, so we don’t have much information about his service in the army. If you have any further details, please let us know.

Tracey
Heritage & Local Studies Librarian

tel.: 0121 704 6977
email: heritage@solihull.gov.uk