Airman 1st Class 78600 G Brown 22nd Squadron

[aged]

Any information please on Airman 1st Class 78600 G Brown 22nd Squadron Royal Flying Corps Age: 21 Date of Died 21/08/1917 aged 21
Son of Edwin and Elizabeth Brown, of 5 Short Street, Belper.
He is buried in the Coxyde Military Cemetery Belgium

[josquin]

George - Brown (no other forenames) was born in 1895, at Belper,
Derbyshire--you have the parents' names from the Commonwealth
War Graves Commission listing. CWGC erred in listing his rank,
however; he was Air Mechanic, 1st Class, not Airman--that rank
came later after the RAF was created. Brown's birth was registered
in December, 1895, at Belper; this indicates he was probably born
during the last few months of the year (the births were listed quarterly,
so Brown's probably occurred from October-December, 1895). The
1901 Census for England lists the family as residing at Belper. I do
not have any service information for him, but since you have his
service number you could get a service record copy from National
Archives U.K. online services. Trevor Henshaw, in "The Sky
Their Battlefield," may provide more information about his death--
place, circumstances, other crew, and aircraft type & serial.

Regards

Josquin

[Kirk R. Lowry]

Aged et Josquin bonjour

It comes as a surprise to read the following information in The Sky Their Battlefield by Henshaw -

Britsol F2b, 22 Sqn, shot up, AG.1AM G Brown WIA, head

Would the unfortunate G. Brown have succumbed of wounds at a later date?

Salut
Kirk

[josquin]

Originally Posted by Kirk R. Lowry

Aged et Josquin bonjour

It comes as a surprise to read the following information in The Sky Their Battlefield by Henshaw -

Britsol F2b, 22 Sqn, shot up, AG.1AM G Brown WIA, head

Would the unfortunate G. Brown have succumbed of wounds at a later date?

Salut
Kirk

Kirk

Evidently 1AM Brown DOW; CWGC lists his death date as 21 August 1917.
Did Henshaw give the date and place for the combat, the name of the
other crewman, or any additional details?

Regards

Josquin

[Kirk R. Lowry]

Bonjour encore Josquin

No other details are offered in the tome ...

Salut
Kirk

[josquin]

Originally Posted by Kirk R. Lowry

Bonjour encore Josquin

No other details are offered in the tome ...

Salut
Kirk

Kirk

Thank you for checking this. I'll ask Henshaw on the Great War Forum
and get back to you if anything materializes.

Regards

Josquin

[josquin]

Kirk

Some details of interest emerged with respect to 1AM. Brown on the
Great War Forum. Trevor Henshaw and others added what was known
so far. Brown was WIA on 19 August 1917, but Henshaw could not find
a Casualty Report for him when he was researching "The Sky Their
Battlefield." Given recent threads on the Aerodrome concerning the
influence of the British class system on RFC/RAF organization, practices,
and etiquette, one of Henshaw's remarks is telling. He said that the
absence of a Casualty Report for Brown was not surprising; such
omissions were not uncommon for "other ranks" as opposed to officers.
Not surprising, indeed: officers were accorded the recognition of
award citations listing their fullnames whilst "other ranks" were
identified in citations by surname and forename initials only. Given
the absence of a Casualty Report, we still do not know where Brown's
final combat occurred, what the circumstances were, who the other
airman was in the aircrew, and the serial number of the AC. That leaves
22 Squadron CRs and communiques as the only possibilities remaining
to locate the missing details--and perhaps make possible the identification
of the Germans who "shot up" his Brisfit.

Regards
Josquin

P.S. Don't regret passing on that $600 field verification of Udet's E.A.--
it was seriously overpriced and, as the gentleman said, authenticity
is a real worry due to the prevalence of forgeries out there.

[Kirk R. Lowry]

Originally Posted by josquin

the
absence of a Casualty Report for Brown was not surprising; such
omissions were not uncommon for "other ranks" as opposed to officers.
Not surprising, indeed: officers were accorded the recognition of
award citations listing their fullnames whilst "other ranks" were
identified in citations by surname and forename initials only.

Regards
Josquin

Bonjour encore Josquin

The comments about class are very interesting and a subject worthy of further investigation and comment in respect of the R.F.C. (as well as other air services). This far removed in time from the events the lack of concern for the other ranks is sad, but, of course, those were different times. As for the specifics regarding the death of Brown it may be noted that The Jasta War Chronology by Franks, Bailey, Duiven, lists only one Bf2B claimed down on the 19th of August, 1917 which, apparently, was from 48 Squadron, but, as it is to be assumed that Brown came down to the west of the lines it may be that there was no claim by a German airman filed or confirmed.

By the way, it was a different Kirk who lamented over the Ernest Udet report ... I could not even consider that purchase!

Salut!
Kirk