William Kerr Brown likeness

William Kerr Brown cap badgePrivate William Kerr Brown

5th (Service) Battalion Cameron Highlanders
Service No: S/10239

William Kerr Brown grave

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Personal details

Family Information

Son of William Ure Brown (11/04/1843 - 19/08/1903) and Jessie Wilson Kerr Brown (18/08/1860 - 04/09/1931) of 43 Whifflet St, Coatbridge. Husband of Agnes McConnell Brown (22/11/1893 - ) and father of 2 children, William Brown born 22/09/1912 and Agnes Ashwood Brown born 12/02/1915. William had 5 brothers serving. His younger brother Lance Corporal Alexander (Sandy) Brown of the 5th (Service) Battalion Cameron Highlanders was Killed in Action on the 09/04/1917, Robert (Royal Garrison Artillery), Charles (Royal Garrison Artillery), Daniel (Royal Field Artillery) and Richard of the Royal Army Medical Corps who was awarded the French Croix de Guerre for distinguished conduct on the battlefield while acting as a stretcher bearer. He ended up being a prisoner of war in Germany. William's brother-in-law Private Cree escaped from Germany and arrived home in Coatbridge in April 1917. He was married to Alexander's sister Isabella and they had 2 children. From the 1891 Census - Address - 22 Loganlea Rows, West Calder - William Brown aged 47, Jessie Brown aged 32, Richard Brown aged 9, Alison Brown aged 7, William Brown aged 6, James Brown aged 4, Isabella Brown aged 2, Robert Brown aged 3 months, boarders William Nisbet aged 25, Robert Marshall aged 31. From the 1901 Census - Address - 67 Nimmos Rows, Holytown - William Brown aged 57, Jessie Brown aged 43, Richard Brown aged 19, Allison Brown aged 17 (04/05/1883 - 24/02/1964, William Brown aged 16 (06/02/1885 - 25/09/1915), James Brown aged 14 (26/02/1887 - /03/1965), Isabella Kerr Brown aged 12 (23/02/1889 - 1938), Robert Baxter Brown aged 10 (24/12/1890 - 16/09/1976), Charles Brown aged 7 (1894 - 12/05/1959), Alexander Brown aged 4, Daniel Brown aged 2 and Henry Brown aged 1 month (06/02/1901 - 15/07/1965). William's Pension was awarded to his wife Agnes on the 12/06/1916. Their children are also listed.

Born / Resided

Townhead, Coatbridge / 14 Allan Place, Coatbridge.

Died

Killed in Action on the 25/09/1915 on the opening day of the Battle of Loos.

Enlisted

05/08/1914 Bowhill, Fife

Employed

Miner in Rosehall Colliery.

Age

30

Buried / Remembered

Loos Memorial (Panel 119 to 124), Pas de Calais, France.

Cemetery / Memorial Information

The Loos Memorial commemorates over 20,000 officers and men who have no known grave, who fell in the area from the River Lys to the old southern boundary of the First Army, east and west of Grenay, from the first day of the Battle of Loos to the end of the war. On either side of the cemetery is a wall 15 feet high, to which are fixed tablets on which are carved the names of those commemorated. At the back are four small circular courts, open to the sky, in which the lines of tablets are continued, and between these courts are three semicircular walls or apses, two of which carry tablets, while on the centre apse is erected the Cross of Sacrifice.

Additional Information

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON WILLIAM'S BROTHERS - His younger brother Lance Corporal Alexander (Sandy) Brown of the 5th (Service) Battalion Cameron Highlanders was Killed in Action on the 09/04/1917, Gunner Robert Baxter Brown (181923) of the 495th Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery enlisted at Coatbridge on the 13/08/1917. He married Janet McGinn on the 31/12/1913 in Coatbridge. They had 3 children, William born 24/10/1914, Ellen born 22/04/1916 and Jessie born 14/10/1918. Robert was discharged on the 27/01/1919. His wife Janet died on the 30/10/1918 of Pneumonia at 25 Balgownie Terrace, Cardenden, Fife. Gunner Charles Brown (181924) Royal 493rd Siege Battery Garrison Artillery enlisted with his brother Robert and was home on the 25/01/1919. Charles married Lillias Rooney (1893 - 26/01/1982) in Glasgow on the 20/08/1917. Richard Brown of the Royal Army Medical Corps (28/09/1881 - 09/05/1962) married Jane Fox (31/05/1882 - 03/06/1957) on the 31/12/1903. They are buried in Bowhill Cemetery, Cardenden, Fife. Gunner Daniel Brown (109093) Royal Field Artillery was the youngest of the 6 brothers who served. William and the Battalion arrived at Boulogne on the 10/05/1915 and were part of the 26th Brigade, 9th (Scottish) Division. He was Killed in Action on the opening day of the Battle of Loos, 25th September ' 15th October 1915 : The first genuinely large scale British offensive action but once again only in a supporting role to a larger French attack in the Third Battle of Artois. British appeals that the ground over which they were being called upon to advance was wholly unsuitable were rejected. The battle is historically noteworthy for the first British use of poison gas. The opening day of the Battle of Loos on the 25/09/1915 : 07.00 - 5th Camerons suffered from crossfire from Mad Point (just outside Auchy on the road from Vermelles), but pushed on to Little Willie Trench ' the front face of the redoubt ' and Fosse Trench which they reached by 7.10am. By 7.45am they joined the Seaforths in Corons Trench. Auchy area : The attack of 9th (Scottish) Division had by mid-morning succeeded in reaching and occupying the enemy trench network around the Hohenzollern Redoubt and Fosse 8, and also Pekin Trench. The situation at noon - The 47th and 15th Divisions had captured Loos, although they had been halted and were threatened by counterattack on Hill 70. There were clear signs of German withdrawal in this area and panic in Lens. 7th Division was on the outskirts of Hulluch, and the 9th (Scottish) Division were working their way forward at the Hohenzollern Redoubt and Fosse 8. The Battalion War Diary states Loos casualties were : Officers - 9 Killed, 9 Wounded. Other Ranks - 72 Killed, 416 Wounded, 156 Missing. TOTAL = 662. Scottish Regiments lost a huge amount of brave men at Loos. Here is a list of Infantry Battalions who lost more than 500 men at the Battle of Loos from 25/09/1915 to 16/10/1915 - 7th Cameron Highlanders 687, of which 19 Officers, 9th Black Watch 680, of which 20 Officers, 6th King’s Own Scottish Borderers 650, of which 20 Officers, 10th Highland Light Infantry 648, of which 20 Officers, 7th King’s Own Scottish Borderers 631, of which 20 Officers, 8th Devons 619, of which 19 Officers, 8th Royal West Kents 580, of which 24 Officers, 8th Buffs 558, of which 24 Officers, 12th Highland Light Infantry 553, of which 23 Officers, 8th Black Watch 511, of which 19 Officers, 5th North Staffordshire 505, of which 20 Officers, 8th Seaforth Highlanders 502, of which 23 Officers. William was posted missing at Loos. His death was confirmed in January 1916. William was 1 of 99 men from the Coatbridge Memorial who fell during and from injuries from the Battle of Loos. See Directory for William's younger brother Alexander's page. Additional photo of William's name on the Loos Memorial kindly donated by Mick McCann at britishwargraves.co.uk. William is also remembered in the St. Augustine's Parish (book) Roll of Honour. William and his brother Alexander both named on the Bowhill War Memorial (see photos, pic of names to follow). See William's brother Lance Corporal Alexander Brown (who also fell) for more information through Newspaper clippings on this patriotic family including information on his brothers and his brother-in-law Private Cree. See photos for William's Medal Index Card, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, his CWGC Grave Registration, his name on the Loos Memorial Panel List, for North Lanarkshire Poor Law Applications and Registers 1885 - 1915, his name on the Loos Memorial, the Cameron Highlanders Cap Badge, William's Pension Records x 2 and his brother Richard's Family Grave in Bowhill Cemetery, Cardenden, Fife x 2 (kindly donated by Mike Brown). Finally, see photos of a wreath x 2 placed by myself at Loos Memorial in July 2023 remembering ALL the men who left from the Iron Burgh who are named there, one of myself at the Cameron Highlanders Panel at Loos Memorial (William listed middle right), Newspaper clippings x 5 (Coatbridge Express x 2 and Coatbridge Leader x 3), THE 9th (SCOTTISH) DIVISION BOOK 25/09/1915 x 21, PHOTOS FOR 20 PAGES FROM THE MOST UNFAVOURABLE GROUND BOOK REGARDING THE BATTALION and DIVISION 25/09/1915 (fantastic book on the Battle of Loos kindly signed by the author Niall Cherry), PHOTOS x 12 FOR THE 9th (SCOTTISH) DIVISION ORDER OF BATTLE (the Division he was with when he died) and the BATTALION WAR DIARY SEPTEMBER 1915 x 11. The History of the 9th (Scottish) Division book is available to read online here

Photos
William Kerr Brown Medal Index CardWilliam Kerr Brown remembered at homeWilliam Kerr Brown remembered at homeWilliam Kerr Brown remembered at homeWilliam Kerr Brown remembered at homeWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photoWilliam Kerr Brown additional photo

War Diaries

The battalion War Diary is available on the National Archives website.

Creative Commons License

We have made this information and the images available under a Creative Commons BY-NC license. This means you may reuse it for non-commercial purposes only and must attribute it to us using the following statement: © coatbridgeandthegreatwar.com

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