Ernest Brown
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
His wife, Ada (nee Smith), was the daughter of George and Jane Smith.
In 1901 George (54), a carter for Nottingham Corporation, and Jane (52) were living at 326 Meadow Lane, Sneinton, with their son George (21) and daughter Ada (16), an apprentice cigar maker.
Her father George died in September 1908 age 62 and mother Jane died in August 1909 age 60.
Ernest may have been a regular soldier as there is a record of a Sergeant Ernest Smith (28) born Nottingham, serving with the 1st Bn Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment) in India in 1911. Sergeant Smith was married at the time of the Census.
At the time of Ernest's death in 1917 his widow was living at 5 Daybrook Street, Sherwood, Nottingham, and this was her address on the later CWGC record.
Ernest Brown was commissioned Second Lieutenant 1/6th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derbys Regiment), on 13th December 1915 and joined the 2nd Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derbys Regiment) on 12th January 1916.
He was wounded at Arrow Head Copse, Guillemont, on 13th September 1916. Ernest was promoted Lieutenant on 24th April 1917, and Garrison Major and Adjutant at Loos on 26th April 1917.
He was killed in action on, 20th November 1917, aged 35, in the attack on the German positions near Beaucamp, near Ribecourt. He is buried in Fifteen Ravine British Cemetery, Villers-Plouich, France (Plot 4. Row H. Grave 11). The history of the Cemetery indicates that his grave was brought in after the Armistice from either the battlefield or another cemetery.
CWGC History of Fifteen Ravine British Cemetery (extract): ''Fifteen Ravine' was the name given by the Army to the shallow ravine, once bordered by fifteen trees, which ran at right angles to the railway about 800 metres south of the village of Villers-Plouich, but the cemetery is in fact in 'Farm Ravine', on the east side of the railway line, nearer to the village. The cemetery, sometimes called Farm Ravine Cemetery, was begun by the 17th Welsh Regiment in April 1917, a few days after the capture of the ravine by the 12th South Wales Borderers. It continued in use during the Battle of Cambrai (November 1917) and until March 1918, when the ravine formed the boundary between the Third and Fifth Armies. On 22 March, the second day of the great German offensive, the ground passed into their hands after severe fighting, and it was not regained until the end of the following September. In March 1918, the cemetery contained 107 graves (now Plot I), but it was greatly enlarged after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the battlefields south-west of Cambrai and other cemeteries, including [listed]. (www.cwgc.org)
CWGC Additional information: Husband of Ada Brown, 5 Daybrook Street, Sherwood, Nottingham
Inscription headstone, Nottingham General Cemetery, marking the grave of George and Jane Smith : ‘Also Ernest Brown Capt. 2nd Batt. Sherwood Foresters killed in action in France Nov 20th 1917, aged 35 years. The beloved husband of Ada Brown and son in law of the above.
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, 28 November 1917: ‘Brown. Killed in action, November 30th, Lieut. (sic) Ernest Brown, Sherwood Foresters, beloved husband of Ada Brown, 5, Daybrook-street, Sherwood.’
Ernest Brown
Family gravestone, Nottingham General Cemetery. Photograph Rachel Farrand (Feb. 2019).
Photo of Ernest Brown
Buried in Fifteen Ravine British Cemetery, France (www.cwgc.org)