Lance Corporal WILLIAM HENRY (HARRY) BROWN

Harry Brown, as he was known, was one of 95 men wounded on 4 June 1915 in the planned, big attack in the struggle for Krithia.  The Regimental History comments that after all they and the rest of the 29^th Division had endured since landing this attack was asking too much of the surviving officers and men[1].   Two Hampshire officers were killed on 4 June 1915 action and six wounded, whilst 56 other ranks were killed or missing[2].  Harry died of his wounds on board HMS Grantully Castle six days later on 12 June 1915[3].  He is buried in East Mudros Military Cemetery.

Harry had been born in Newbury, Berkshire[4], but had spent most of his life ‘in the neighbourhood of Odiham[5].  On 1 February 1899 he enlisted for service in the Militia or 3^rd Battalion, The Hampshire Regiment at Winchester, for which he was only liable to attend an annual training camp.  for giving his address at the time as Hook Villa Cottage, Hook, near Winchfield, where he was a groom working for Mrs Payne[6].   He was described as being aged 17 years and 9 months, 5’6½” tall, with a fresh complexion, brown hair and brown eyes.  He weighed 116 lbs.  As there is no trace of him in the 1901 census, it seems likely that he was embodied during the South African War and would live in barracks at the time.   This could explain his promotion to the rank of Corporal in March 1900.  He then purchased his discharge on 18 February 1903.

In 1911 Harry was living in Poland Lane, Odiham[7] for, at this time he was working as a chauffeur/coachman for Captain Charles Petre of Poland House.  Later he moved to Southampton to be in service to Colonel Lloyd (late of Itchel Manor), enlisting in 3^rd Bn. Hampshire Regiment at the start of the war[8].    He then ‘became attached to the 2^nd Bn Hants Regt, and was soon promoted to Lance Corporal’[9], a rank he held until his death on 12 June 1915[10]. Harry was awarded the 1914 Star, the British War Medal 1914-20 and the Victory Medal 1914-19 in May 1915.

We know from Harry’s Commonwealth War Graves Commission certificate that he had married Bessie, who was living in Carey Street, Reading at the time of his death.  No evidence has been found to identify Bessie, but it is possible that she was Devon born Bessie Smerdon, who was working as a kitchen maid in Belgravia in 1911.    Harry and Bessie had ‘one child, about two years old’ at the time of his death[11].

Between 19^th and 24^th June, ‘the battalion was ‘at rest’ on Y Beach, being persistently shelled by guns from across the Straits’ (Regimental History, p.87), but on 26^th June the Hampshires returned to trenches by Twelve Tree Copse (see Fig.2 ), ready for the next planned attack on 28^th June. This time, more artillery support was on hand, but ammunition remained inadequate and the Turks had considerable fire power[12].  Many were killed or wounded on this first day of the attack, the trenches being ‘congested with dead and wounded’ (Regimental History, p.88).  The battle went on for six days, but Frank Butler was killed in action on the first day.