CORPORAL GORDON E BROWN.
Corporal Gordon Ernest Brown, whose death took place on July 28 in France, was the youngest son of Mr and Mrs R. Brown, of Neidpath road, Mornington. He was educated at High Street School and the High School, was for a few years in the Dunedin office of the Standard Insurance Company, but before enrolling was engaged in farming in the North Island. He left with the 21st Reinforcements, and had last year been twice wounded. His genial disposition made him well liked, and he made many friends. He was a prominent member of St. Andrews Bible Class. -Evening Star, 10/8/1918.
Gordon Brown joined the Otago Infantry Regiment from the intake for the army in September of 1916. He was in France less than a year later, in May, 1917.
He was admitted to hospital on July 1, 1917, having been gassed that day. The closest reference I can find in the Official History is this: "On the 28th (June) the Regiment moved to a new camping area close to the Neuve Eglise-Wulverghem Road." He was discharged to his unit on July 9th so his dose must have been a mild one. He was a casualty again later that year when he Otagos went into battle in the Paesschendaele area, his record showing that he'd been shot in the "upper arm, foot, left arm, thigh." He was marched back into Regimental territory, fully fit, two days before Christmas, 1917.
Gordon wasn't the most obedient of soldiers. He was caught twice for being AWOL and punished with forfeiture of pay but, despite this, was promoted to Lance-corporal ("to complete establishment") one month after rejoining his Regiment, presumably as an experienced soldier needed to lead the new ones making up numbers after the slaughter that was "3rd Ypres."
Gordon was killed during the Otago Regiment's attack on German positions at Rossignol Wood, the action in which Dick Savage won his Victoria Cross.
Corporal Gordon Ernest Brown, whose death took place on July 28 in France, was the youngest son of Mr and Mrs R. Brown, of Neidpath road, Mornington. He was educated at High Street School and the High School, was for a few years in the Dunedin office of the Standard Insurance Company, but before enrolling was engaged in farming in the North Island. He left with the 21st Reinforcements, and had last year been twice wounded. His genial disposition made him well liked, and he made many friends. He was a prominent member of St. Andrews Bible Class. -Evening Star, 10/8/1918.
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| Andersons Bay Cemetery, Dunedin. Allan Steele photo. |
Gordon Brown joined the Otago Infantry Regiment from the intake for the army in September of 1916. He was in France less than a year later, in May, 1917.
He was admitted to hospital on July 1, 1917, having been gassed that day. The closest reference I can find in the Official History is this: "On the 28th (June) the Regiment moved to a new camping area close to the Neuve Eglise-Wulverghem Road." He was discharged to his unit on July 9th so his dose must have been a mild one. He was a casualty again later that year when he Otagos went into battle in the Paesschendaele area, his record showing that he'd been shot in the "upper arm, foot, left arm, thigh." He was marched back into Regimental territory, fully fit, two days before Christmas, 1917.
Gordon wasn't the most obedient of soldiers. He was caught twice for being AWOL and punished with forfeiture of pay but, despite this, was promoted to Lance-corporal ("to complete establishment") one month after rejoining his Regiment, presumably as an experienced soldier needed to lead the new ones making up numbers after the slaughter that was "3rd Ypres."
Gordon was killed during the Otago Regiment's attack on German positions at Rossignol Wood, the action in which Dick Savage won his Victoria Cross.
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