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Old 27-05-2015, 01:58 PM
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James Leonard Brown, a coal miner from Dansfield Place, Radcliffe, enlisted into the 1st Life Guards at Amble on the 3rd November 1914. His declared aged was 19, height 5’9½”, of fair complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. The attesting & recruiting officer was T.L. McAndrews J.P., and the medical officer J.A. Loughridge M.B. James remained in the UK until 15th October 1915 on which date he sailed to join his regiment on active service in France; the regiment at this time operating as Machine gun units and with dismounted squadrons serving as infantry in the trenches. On the 14th January James is brought in off the battlefield and treated in the 33rd Casualty Clearing Station for rifle grenade wounds to both legs and his left hand. On the 16th he is moved by hospital barge to the 10th Stationary Hospital at St Omer, but despite the best efforts of the doctors he succumbs to his wounds on the 29th; he is buried the same day in Souvenir Cemetery St. Omer.

The service papers for Brown include two references, apparently to help him get into the Life Guards; one is on Amble Co-operative Society headed notepaper signed by Ed Foreman, dated Nov 1914:

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN
I have known James L. Brown for about six years, from being quite a boy; he is a very steady young man, and in my opinion is a fit young man for the position he now seeks.
Yours very truly
Ed Foreman [signed]
Justice of the Peace for the County of Northumberland.


And the second one on Broomhill Collieries Limited notepaper [with a correction to show ‘Newburgh’], from the Undermanager, dated Nov 4th 1914:

This is to certify that J.L. Brown has been employed at the above colliery for 4 years and has always given every satisfaction. He is a steady regular workman, and knowing that he is desirous of joining the Life Guards, I can honestly recommend him to whom cares to employ him.
L C? Scott
Undermanager
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