Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Family Group:

Three: Private J. W. Brown, Northumberland Fusiliers, who died of wounds in the Mediterranean on 25 September 1915
1914-15 Star (16393 Pte. J. W. Brown. North’d Fus:); British War and Victory Medals (16393 Pte. J. W. Brown. North’d Fus.); Memorial Plaque (James William Brown) in card envelope; Memorial Scroll (Pte. James William Brown, Northumberland Fusiliers.) mounted on card, good very fine and better

Pair: Private J. Brown, Northumberland Fusiliers, who was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, 1 July 1916
British War and Victory Medals (20-1481 Pte. J. Brown. North’d Fus.); Memorial Plaque (John Brown); Memorial Scroll (Pte. John Brown, Northumberland Fusiliers) mounted on card, good very fine and better (7) £400-£500

James William Brown was born in Tynemouth, Northumberland, and attested for the Northumberland Fusiliers at North Shields, Northumberland. He served with the 8th Battalion during the Great War in the Gallipoli theatre of War from 10 July 1915, and died of wounds at sea in the Mediterranean on 25 September 1915, presumably from wounds received in Gallipoli. He is buried in Alexandria (Chatby) Military Cemetery, Egypt.

John Brown, the brother of James William Brown, was born in Tynemouth, Northumberland, and attested for the Northumberland Fusiliers at North Shields, Northumberland. He served with the 20th (1st Tyneside Scottish) Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front, and was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, 1 July 1916. On this date the Battalion moved forward with the 23rd Northumberland Fusiliers up Mash Valley, north of La Boisselle. Advancing across the widest part of No Man’s Land at 7:30 a.m., the Battalion was almost completely destroyed within minutes of leaving the start positions. In his history of the Tyneside Scottish, Brigadier-General Trevor Ternan records the situation at night, with the 20th and 23rd Battalions lying dead in No Man’s Land, with the remnants holding a short length of the front trench north of La Boisselle. The tremendous casualties suffered by the Tyneside Scottish were amongst the worse ever recorded on the Somme. The Battalion suffered approximately 80% casualties, including losing every officer and sergeant, and not one man was taken Prisoner of War. Brown was amongst those killed; he has no known grave, and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France.