Person

Born in Evenwood in 1894, Alfred Brown was the oldest of five children born to James and Annie Brown. Annie died sometime after around 1901 and Alfred’s father remarried. He and his second wife, Mary Jane, had had a further three children by 1919. Alfred began his life in Evenwood but by 1911 had moved with his family to Staindrop. Alongside his father and younger brother Joseph, Alfred was working as a miner.

Alfred first attested into the army on 3 May 1912 at the age of 18, and underwent preliminary training with the 6th Battalion Durham Light Infantry (DLI). He was embodied the day after Britain declared war on Germany in 1914 and then transferred to the 6th reserve battalion DLI on 26 September 1914. Whilst undergoing training in September 1915 Alfred was found to be absent without permission which earned him the punishment of three days confinement to barracks.

Alfred travelled from Folkestone to Boulogne on 29 August 1916 and joined his unit in the field the following month on 23 September. He served as part of the 1/6th Battalion DLI as a private with the service number 1672. Only a few months after joining the troops in France Alfred was killed in action on 5 November 1916, aged 23.

Between April and June 1914 Alfred married Clara Elizabeth Dent, the daughter of a stone quarry worker from Staindrop. Alfred and Clara had one child, Eleanor Brown, born on 3 August 1914. Following Alfred’s death Clara remarried, marrying Walter Sly in 1918.

Alfred is buried in Warlencourt British Cemetery in France and is remembered on several memorials in his home village of Staindrop. The parish magazine of December 1916 recorded his death.

Civil Parish: Staindrop

Birth date: 1894

Death date: 5-Nov-1916

Armed force/civilian: Army

Residence: Morley, Evenwood (1901 Census)
Front Street, Staindrop (1911 Census)
Ivy House, Staindrop (Service Records)

Religion: Church of England

Employment: Miner (1911 Census, Service Records)

Family: Parents: James Brown, Annie Brown nee Parr
Stepmother: Mary Jane Brown
Siblings: Joseph Brown, George Wilson Brown, Jane Allison Brown, Francis Annie Brown
Step-siblings: John James Brown, Doris May Brown, R Brown
Wife: Clara Elizabeth Brown nee Dent
Child: Eleanor Brown

Military service:

6th Battalion Durham Light Infantry
Private
Service Number 1672

Medal(s): British War Medal
Victory Medal

Memorial(s): Plaque 1914-18, St Mary’s Church, Staindrop
Book of Remembrance 1914-18, St Mary’s Church, Staindrop

Gender: Male

Contributed by StaindropWW1, Staindrop