Walter Leverton Brown
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
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Walter Leverton Brown was born in 1891 and was the son of Samuel a frame work knitter and Ruth Brown née Leverton of 61 West Terrcae Hucknall Torkard Nottinghamshire. His father Samuel was born in 1842 in Kirkby and his mother Ruth Leverton was born in 1853 in Hucknall, they were married in 1873, their marriage was recorded in the Basford Registration District, they went on to have the following children all of whom were born Hucknall, Agnes b1874, Sybil b1876, Albert b1878, Thirza Leverton b1880, Arthur B1881, Samuel B1883 and Walter b1891. In the 1911 census the family are living at 61 West Terrace, Hucknall and are shown as Samuel 69 yrs a frame work knitter, he is living with his wife Ruth 58 yrs and their children, Thirza 30 yrs a tailoress and Walter 19yrs a frame work knitter, also living with them is their widowed daughter Ruth Thompson 27 yrs a hosiery hand with her two children Eric Thompson 7yrs and William Thompson 6 yrs. Walter married his wife Lillian King in 1914, their marriage was recorded in the Basford Registration District. His wife Lilian Brown was buried in Hucknall Cemetery on 4th August 1917. She had died of tuberculosis on 31st July 1917, weeks after her husband's death in action.
Private Walter Leverton Brown enlisted in Derby and served with the 7th battalion South Staffordshire Regiment. He was killed in action on 8th June 1917, he has no known grave, his name is commemorated on the Menin Gate Panel 35 and 37 at Ypres.
His wife Lilian Brown, whom he married in July 1914. She received a letter with the news of his death from Second Lieutenant Cecil Augustus White which was published on 12th July 1917 in the Hucknall Dispatch :- "With a feeling of great sorrow I write to inform you of the death of your husband, who was killed in action during the recent advance on June 9 [sic]. Your husband's death is a sad blow to us, and we hasten to offer our deep sympathy to you in your great loss. The officers of "D" Company feel that they have lost a good comrade. Your husband was a very brave and gallant soldier, and did so much to inspire his comrades with a cheerful spirit. He made this great sacrifice for his country and for those he loved, and we feel that in some small way this knowledge will be a source of consolation to you in your grief. We pray that Almighty God will comfort you and that Divine Love will bind up your broken heart." His wife Lilian Brown was buried in Hucknall Cemetery on 4th August 1917. She had died of tuberculosis on 31st July 1917, weeks after her husband's death in action. “Another death with an element of sadness in the circumstances has occurred at Hucknall. We refer to Mrs. Walter Brown (nee Miss Lilian King). It is only a few weeks since we notified in our columns that her husband had been killed in France whilst fighting for freedom. At the time his sacrifice was offered, the life of his wife was ebbing away. They were married just before the outbreak of war, and practically since then her health has been far from satisfactory. Her position has been critical for some weeks, and when the sad tidings concerning her husband came to hand she had no wish to linger long in this world. Her wish was soon fulfilled, and last Saturday [4th August 1917] she was laid in her narrow bed at the cemetery.” Above article was published on 9th August 1917 in the Hucknall Dispatch newspaper and is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918
