Category: Military
Rank: Private
Regiment or Ship: 1) Training Reserve 2) Lancashire Fusiliers 3) Royal Army Medical Corps
Service Number(s): 1) TR/9/6047 2) 47854 3) 170403
Occupation: Bootmaker
Date of Birth: 1899
Place of Birth: Brighton, Sussex
Address: 45 Windsor Road, Bexhill
Photos and newspaper articles
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Family Information
Grandparents: Moses Buck, b. 1847 in Rudgwick, d. 1928, and Harriet Buck (nee Stedman), b. 1851 in Battle.
Parents: Richard Brown and Constance Gertrude Mabel Brown (nee Buck) – married on 2nd November 1887 in Wadhurst, Sussex.
Siblings: William Brown.
In the 1891 and 1901 census’ Moses and family lived in Wadhurst but by the 1911 census Moses, Harriet, their son Walter John, and Cecil – their grandson – were living in Little Common. Moses moved from working as an employed gardener in 1901 to being a market gardener in his own right by 1911.
First World War Experience
Cecil’s attestation form was completed on 20th September 1916 and approved on 17th February of the following year. On this form he gave his address as 30 Camperdown Street, Bexhill, his age as 17 years 11 months, stated he was a British subject, unmarried and a bootmaker. He also said that he was not willing to be vaccinated or re-vaccinated – although he was later vaccinated on 30th March 1918.
He was 5’ 4¾” tall with a chest measurement of 34” – expanded by 3” – and weighed 122lbs. His physical development was good and his vision in both eyes was 6/6. He was found to have a septic ulcer on the left hand which required treatment. Cecil gave his next of kin as his brother, William Brown, living at 30 Camperdown Street, Bexhill.
The day after his attestation he was entered into the Army Reserve as a Private and, on 16th February 1917, was mobilized going into the 26th Training Reserve Battalion. He was posted to the B.E.F. (British Expeditionary Force) on 30th October 1917. Six days later he was transferred to the 3/5th Lancashire Fusiliers, regimental number 47854, and stayed with them until 1st April 1918 when he was transferred to the 2/5th Lancashire Fusiliers. After a series of health problems he was transferred to the Royal Army Medical Corps, on 22nd August 1919, regimental number 170403. During this time his ‘pay’ address was given as 87 Windsor Road and, later, 45 Windsor Road.
Altogether Cecil served in the Forces for 3 years 149 days and during this time – 16th November 1917 – he received a gun shot wound in the left leg – below the left knee anteriorly – which was described as ‘mild’ and he was hospitalized for four days in the Brook War Hospital in Woolwich where he developed trench fever and stayed there until 1st February 1918. Returning to France he suffered further bouts of trench fever and pyrexia through August and November. Between December 1918 and August 1919 he suffered a series of pediculosis infections (scabies) caused by body lice and was in and out of hospital having treatment for same.
On 14th January 1920 he was with the No. 6 Field Ambulance, RAMC at Mulheim, Germany, and from there proceeded to No. 1 Concentration Camp in Cologne for demobilization and discharged in the UK on 15th February 1920.
Cecil was awarded both the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.