​William Brown​

Letters By Author

Biography

William Brown (1895 - 1918)

Date of letters
17 November 1915 - 22 April 1918
After his death 13 August 1918 - 21 February 1919

Number of letters
17

Regiments
1st  North Irish Horse 17 November 1915 - August 1917
9th  Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers August 1917 - 12 August 1918 (his death)

Rank
Private/Signaller

Regimental number
1839  North Irish Horse
41451  Royal Irish Fusiliers

William Brown was born on 13 February 1895 in Belfast. He was the son of John Brown, a time keeper at Belfast Harbour and Isabella Johnston; who died in 1896. The couple had another child Martha Ann Brown who died in infancy in 1894.

Brown joined the staff of Belfast Public Libraries on 3 October 1910 at the age of fifteen and took up a position of Assistant Librarian in the Lending Department of Belfast Central Library. In the 1911 Census he was living at Lichfield Avenue, off the Bloomfield Road in East Belfast with his father, step-mother Sarah, and half-siblings Martha and Maurice.

Brown enlisted as a Private, at Antrim, as part of the Avoniel Battalion (U.V.F.) in the 1st Regiment of the North Irish Horse on 15 November 1915. His early letters describe life in Antrim in the regiment. He left for France as a Signaller on 12 August 1916. On 20 September 1917 he was transferred to the 9th (North Irish Horse) Battalion of the Royal Irish Fusiliers.

On 24 March 1918 Brown sustained injuries to his left thigh and right foot. After a period of recuperation and still with shrapnel in his thigh, he was returned to the Front Line in July 1918, without a break home. On the night of 11/12 August 1918 Brown was wounded at Shoddy Farm, near Bailleul, and died of his injuries. The North Irish Horse War Diary records the event as follows “Usual activity on either side. At 4 a.m. twenty rounds of heavy trench mortars were fired on left of sector. At 11 p.m. a patrol of 32 other ranks under Captain J. Benson and 2nd Lieutenant Behannah attempted to raid Shoddy Farm but were attacked in rear and after hand-to-hand fight in which casualties were inflicted on either side, returned. Our casualties, Captain Benson missing, two other ranks killed, two wounded.” [sic]

It is reported that letters, a writing pad, notebooks and a dictionary were among his possessions. 

He is buried at Mont Noir Military Cemetery, St. Jans-Cappel, France.

His last letter was sent on 22 April 1918 and briefly describes his recuperation from shrapnel injuries received in March. The remaining correspondence in the Brown collection is between library officials and Brown’s father, John Brown.


Belfast Central Library. © National Museums Northern Ireland Collection Ulster Museum.

Author Letters

For Author William Brown we have found 17 correspondence(s).

Reference Date of Letter Type Summary  View Letter
BRO-001 17 November 1915 Letter Letter from Brown to Elliott. Antrim. Training View
BRO-002 18 August 1916 Letter Letter from Brown to Elliott. Rouen, France. Signaller, camp, meets Freeland. View
BRO-003 09 October 1916 Postcard Field Service Postcard from Brown to Elliott. I am quite well.  View
BRO-004 14 November 1916 Postcard Field Service Postcard from Brown to Elliott. I am quite well.  View
BRO-005 14 December 1916 Letter Letter from Elliott to Brown. Postcards, other staff at war.  View
BRO-006 19 December 1916 Letter Letter from Brown to Elliott. France. Too busy to write, other staff at war. View
BRO-007 27 April 1917 Letter Letter from Brown to Goldsbrough. France. Pay, Elliott's death, staff. View
BRO-008 10 July 1917 Letter Letter from Goldsbrough to Brown. Library matters, other staff at war. View
BRO-009 20 July 1917 Letter Letter from Brown to Goldsbrough. Library staff, other staff at war.  View
BRO-010 12 September 1917 Letter Letter from Brown to Goldsbrough. Transferred to Royal Irish Fusiliers, infantry, other staff at war. View
BRO-011 27 September 1917 Letter Letter from Goldsbrough to Brown. Other staff at war, library staff. View
BRO-012 22 April 1918 Letter Letter from Brown to Goldsbrough. France. In hospital recovering from injuries, Miss Miller. View
BRO-013 13 August 1918 Letter Letter from W.B. Allman (Army Chaplain) to Brown's father, John Brown. France. Death of William Brown. View
BRO-014 21 August 1918 Letter Letter from Goldsbrough to Brown's father, John Brown. Sympathies from library staff and committee.  View
BRO-015 24 August 1918 Letter Letter from Officer in charge of Records to John Brown. Copy. Dublin. Death of Brown View
BRO-016 17 February 1919 Letter Letter from Goldsbrough to John Brown. Half-pay allowance.  View
BRO-017 21 February 1919 Letter Letter from John Brown to Goldsbrough. Half-pay allowance. Thanks to staff for sympathy.  View