Lance Corporal Thomas Frederick Brown

L-Cpl Tom Brown, 27938, 7th Battalion Royal Fusiliers, was killed in action on the Somme on November 13th, 1916. He left a widow and a young son, who received official notification of his death two months later after he had initially been reported missing.

Tom Brown had attested under the Derby scheme and joined the Royal Fusiliers in April 1916. After three months training he went to France, where he was given his first stripe for good conduct and merit.

On November 13th, 1916, he went into action with his unit. A Luton chum of L-Cpl Brown later wrote to Mrs Brown to say he had seen nothing more of her husband after the charge, or when the roll was called.

The son of Alfred William and Kate Brown, of 246 High Town Road, Luton, Tom was an old boy of Hitchin Road Schools who joined the Co-operative Stores in Luton. He gradually gained promotion until he became manager of the boot department.

He married Nellie Louisa Olney at St Matthew's Church in early 1914 and later that year they had their only child, also named Thomas Frederick. At the time of Tom's death his young family were living at 45 Hartley Road, Luton.