George Edmund Brown
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
George was the son of Charles and Sarah Ellen (née Willgress) Brown. He was the brother of Jeremiah, Orson, Charles, Maud (Bennett), Genevieve (Knowles), Nellie, Laurie (Chapman), Adelaide (Rolstone) and Evelyn (Otter) Brown. He married Kate Shirley on 23/05/1908 and they had two daughters: Nellie, born 21/02/1909 and Katie, born 08/08/1915. They lived at 55 Gladstone Street Kirkby in Ashfield. Following George's death, Kate was awarded a weekly pension of 26/8d for herself and children.
He enlisted 31/08/1914 standing 5' 7" and weighing 146lbs. He received 10 Days Field Punishment No 1 12/3/1916 and was wounded 22/7/1916. He was was promoted to corporal 31/1/1917.
Field Punishment was introduced in 1881 following the abolition of flogging, and was a common punishment during World War I. A commanding officer could award field punishment for up to 28 days, while a court martial could award it for up to 90 days. Field Punishment Number One, often abbreviated to ‘F.P. No. 1’ or even just ‘No. 1’, consisted of the convicted man being placed in fetters and handcuffs or similar restraints and attached to a fixed object, such as a gun wheel or a fence post, for up to two hours per day. During the early part of World War I, the punishment was often applied with the arms stretched out and the legs tied together, giving rise to the nickname ‘crucifixion’. This was applied for up to three days out of four, up to 21 days total. It was usually applied in field punishment camps set up for this purpose a few miles behind the front line, but when the unit was on the move it would be carried out by the unit itself. It has been alleged that this punishment was sometimes applied within range of enemy fire. During World War I Field Punishment Number One was issued by the British Army on 60210 occasions. Field Punishment Number One was eventually abolished in 1923, when an amendment to the Army Act which specifically forbade attachment to a fixed object was passed by the House of Lords. (Wikipedia)
