Shirley Stephenson visited the museum to tell about the story and final letters of 5444 Private George Brown, 7th battalion, Yorkshire Regiment, the youngest brother of her mother in law. George was the seventh of nine children. Three of his brothers also served in France but survived. In 1915, he left his family home in Brandon, County Durham, to live with his older sister and her family on their farm in North Cowton. Here, he worked for them and was learning the trade of butchery, his sister and husband hoping to set him up, eventually, in his own business but he was called up in May 1916. He enlisted at Croft and was sent to Babworth Camp, Retford.
At the beginning of July, he writes to his sister, Mary, and her husband, Tom, asking them to apply to his commanding officer for a month’s leave in order to assist them with haytime saying, ‘……tell him I worked for you and you can’t get anyone else…. I think you will succeed as he can’t refuse.’ Unfortunately, he could because the Regiment was posted to France; three weeks later, ‘we are going to face the foe….. we poor devils with three months’ training.’
By 25th July, George and his Company were training on the French coast ‘…… it is very hot here…… very tiresome marching around in the sand all day….. we get better food than in Retford but not much of it.’ Three weeks later his letter reads, ‘…. I am not allowed to tell you where we are or where we had been but you can guess it is rough enough…. I could write a book full… we look forward to mail coming…. send Darlington paper….’ A few days later, he is thanking his sister for the cakes ‘…. as fresh as when you baked them….’ and asking for cocoa and a little bit of sugar.
In September, he is in hospital in Lymm, Cheshire and there is a break in the letters until March 1917, when George is once again in France, in the trenches, it is wet, cold and there have been snow showers. A surprising aspect of his letters is the number of times he meets other men from North Cowton whilst in France. He learns from his sisters’ correspondence of villagers who have been killed, injured or gassed. These things bring to immediacy the effect of this global conflict on a very small village. Less surprising perhaps, is the number of times food is mentioned and how appreciative he is of the parcels his sister sends ‘…. wish I had been having supper with you instead of sitting in this barn eating dog biscuits….’ (April 1st 1917). A fortnight later, he is asking for ‘…. bread or anything substantial as we get very little bread, about a week since I saw any. We are living on biscuits and bully beef.’
They have also been involved in the Battle of the Somme. ‘I shall not forget Easter Monday for a bit (9th April 1917) the roughest night I have put in. They have taken our overcoats and blankets off us so we just have to help ourselves to keep warm as we can.’ (It has been raining and snowing).
His last letter, dated 27th April 1917, reads ‘We are at rest for a day or two after a week’s hard fighting. We had a very rough time and lost a lot of our men. I think I was lucky to come through.’ This was the advance at Arras and the River Scarpe.
On 9th May George and C Company were back in trenches north of Roeux, part of an action to move the line forward that lasted until 2.30am on 15th during which they were heavily shelled, there was a shortage of water and by the night of 13th, official reports noted that the men were ‘very tired’. When they were relieved, of the 18 officers and 436 other ranks, only 5 officers and 241 OR remained and 139 of them were wounded. George was one. He died on 14th May, 1917 and is buried in St Nicholas British Cemetery. He was 21 years old.
Cigarette case belonging to George Brown. Three cigarettes remain in place after the passing of a century.
Explore more memories from the ribbon
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Gosnay William Riley
Diane Hawthorne sent in a request for us to look into her grandfather’s First World War service – this is what we managed to discover. Gosnay William Riley attested on 10th December 1915 into the 11th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment at Brighouse and was assigned the regimental number 27654. The 11th was a Home Service Battalion dealing with Drafts and Reinforcements. In September 1916 the 11th amalgamated with the 16th Durham Light Infantry as a Training Battalion thereby losing its distinct identity. At some time prior to this Gosnay transferred to the 10th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. He had been promoted to the rank of Corporal. Sometime thereafter he transferred to the 9th York and Lancaster Regiment. His Regimental number was 34441. On the 3rd March 1919 he became a reservist in the British Army with many thousands of others.
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Sgt Percy Lelliott DCM
Submitted by Ron Taylor, “raised in Shute Road Catterick Camp, moved to Scotton and was schooled in Richmond before wandering around with the forces”……who wanted to tell us about his grandfather, Percy. Percy was born about 1891 in Brighton Sussex, and died 20 September 1967 aged 76. 68703 Bdr Percy Levi Lelliott, enlisted in the 119th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, Sussex on 12 Dec 1915. He undertook initial training at Shorncliffe. His unit embarked for France on 5 June 1916, and he fought at the Battle of the Somme. Percy distinguished himself in the field on several occasions by bringing in wounded men under heavy gunfire, sometimes dragging them by his teeth. He was subsequently awarded the DCM. Discharged as Sgt (Acting BSM) 13 February 1919. Percy retired in 1946 after a long career in the Police Force. PC Lelliott received four Commendations from the Watch Committee and local magistrates, two of which referred to rescue operations at Fairlight and Ecclesbourne Cliffs. Retired, Grandpa Percy sat in his Windsor Chair, smoked his pipe and tended his greenhouse.
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John Smith
Jane Metcalfe visited the museum and outlined the story of her father, John Smith. He was born in Dundee, Forfar in 1883. After working as a boilermaker, he joined the Royal Engineers on 1 September 1909 and remained in military service until 31 January 1930. He spent time at Catterick Camp one hundred years ago at the time of the garrison’s founding. During the First World War John served in Egypt, before being transferred to the British Expeditionary Force in France. He became a Lance Corporal, and was promoted to Sergeant in April 1917. His record was ‘Exemplary’, and he was described as ‘Extremely honest, sober and reliable. A good organiser and very good in charge of men.’ 1852361 Sergeant John smith was awarded the 1914 Star, the British War medal, the Victory medal, the General Service medal and the Long Service and Good Conduct medal.