Henry Brown 3/6553 2nd Bedfordshire and 561906 Labour Corps.

[sylvie sillince]

My grandfather is in the burnt pile! I do have a few details but very few, I have had help on this site before but there is always new information and it was a long time ago!

Private Henry Brown born 1892. Medal Index Card shows 3/6553 2nd Bedfordshire Regiment then underneath Labour Corps 561906

Went to France 6 Oct 1914 I have record of gunshot wound on 30 Oct 1914. I believe he drove teams of horses with ammunition to the front line

Family story has it that he joined up underage and before the war and his medal roll index show for the VM and BWM show 'desertion' on 18. 12 1918

It would be so good to know more if anyone can help

Thank you

[Michelle Young]

Link to previous thread about Henry Brown. 

 

[Allan1892]

17 minutes ago, sylvie sillince said:

then underneath Labour Corps 561906

This number was part of the block of numbers  (559200 to around 587450) which were issued May to September 1918.

[JMB1943]

Sylvie

To get the right people on board, you should correct your heading, because your grandfather was in the Bedfordshire  Regt, not the East Kent Regt (The Buffs).

Regards,

JMB

 

[sylvie sillince]

Then I have it all wrong and don't know how to correct it... sorry

[DavidOwen]

Title amended. Good luck with your research.

[TullochArd]

Although the family lore might say Henry joined underage if he was born in 1892 he was 22 in 1914 which is far from underage for Great War service.

That said, building a pre-War picture, I was under the impression the 3/ prefix indicated actual service in 3rd (Reserve) Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment.  In the absence of any documentation may this tie in with the National Army Reserve call up in August 1914 and a subsequent immediate wartime posting to 2 BEDS? That is, on 2 BEDS return to UK from South Africa in September 14 and prior to their deployment to F&B Oct 14 as a part of 7 Div? This does tie in with his recorded GSW late Oct 14 and his MIC record for the 14 Star as a 3/ number. 

Maybe his family lore "underage" service is correct and simply predates the Great War. A common occurrence. Indeed as late as 1934, my father joined the Seaforth Highlanders claiming to be 18 but was actually 16.  Totally plausible.

Edited 8 March by TullochArd

[George Rayner]

12 hours ago, TullochArd said:

Although the family lore might say Henry joined underage if he was born in 1892 he was 22 in 1914

Sorry but how do we know his age? Have I missed it somewhere?

George

[George Rayner]

Fudging about I found in Fold3

Brown, Henry

UK, Police Gazette, 1916-1918

Full Name Brown, Henry

Birth Place Kensington

Incident Details Deserter and absentee from His Majesty’s Service 

Incident Date 21 Aug 1917

Service Number 6553 

Enlistment Date 14 Jun 1910

Enlistment Place Mill Hill

Offence Date 5 Aug 1917

Offence Place London

Trade Coal porter

Of course that may not be your Henry Brown!

George

[Michelle Young]

1 hour ago, George Rayner said:

Sorry but how do we know his age? Have I missed it somewhere?

George

In the OP, says birth year. 

[sylvie sillince]

1 hour ago, George Rayner said:

Fudging about I found in Fold3

Brown, Henry

UK, Police Gazette, 1916-1918

Full Name Brown, Henry

Birth Place Kensington

Incident Details Deserter and absentee from His Majesty’s Service 

Incident Date 21 Aug 1917

Service Number 6553 

Enlistment Date 14 Jun 1910

Enlistment Place Mill Hill

Offence Date 5 Aug 1917

Offence Place London

Trade Coal porter

Of course that may not be your Henry Brown!

George

Oh indeed  this is my Henry, born 1892   Kensington, a coal porter. I knew that he joined up before 1914 but now with the help of you all, that he was only a few weeks underage and I now know the date of desertion. The other info re the 3/ prefix will help me piece together his movements during the war. Thank you all

1 hour ago, George Rayner said:

Sorry but how do we know his age? Have I missed it somewhere?

George

I gave his birth year in the question I think. 

[sylvie sillince]

I wonder what on earth was happening on the 5 August 1917 to cause him to desert! I think I need to go through the war diaries again!

Thank you all so much, I have been many years searching for these particular answers... I should have subscribed to Fold 3!

[Keith_history_buff]

1 hour ago, George Rayner said:

Fudging about I found in Fold3

 

UK, Police Gazette, 1916-1918

Full Name Brown, Henry
Birth Place Kensington

Incident Details Deserter and absentee from His Majesty’s Service
Incident Date 21 Aug 1917
Service Number 6553 

Enlistment Date 14 Jun 1910

This indicates that he enlisted in 1910 under Special Reserve terms of service, when cross-referenced with Paul Nixon's analysis of army service numbers and the dates when they were issued

Special Reserve numbers:
6518 joined on 25th April 1910
6835 joined on 8th August 1911

 

Regular numbers
9526 joined on 31st January 1910
9750 joined on 8th April 1911

 

Source:
https://armyservicenumbers.blogspot.com/search/label/Bedfordshire Regiment

[George Rayner]

DoB mea culpa

George

[sylvie sillince]

Thank you all so very much. I am now off to find the war diaries...