Silas William Brown

A Private with the 8th Battalion, Silas died on 20th of September 1917 at the age of 36. 

Silas was born at Lowestoft in early 1881, a son of Silas and Elizabeth Brown. In 1881 his family lived at Mills Road, Lowestoft. In 1891 their address was 58 Mills Road. By 1911 his family were living at 64 High Street. 

In 1908 Silas married Gertrude Elizabeth Marshall: this was registered in the Wangford district. By 1911 they were living at Albert Road, Bracknell, Berkshire. Probate records show their address as Las Palomas, Albert Road, Bracknell.

Silas enlisted in the Army at Wokingham. He joined the Royal Berkshire Regiment, service number 33569, and was posted to the 2nd Battalion in France. Subsequently he was transferred to the Gloucestershire Regiment, service number 37978, and was posted to the 8th Battalion. Silas was wounded in 1917 and his name appears in the War Office Daily List dated 10 August 1917. 

On 20 September 1917 the 8th Battalion were involved in at attack at Klein Zillebeke. The attack began at 5.40 a.m. and by 7 a.m. all of the main objectives had been reached. The enemy barrage was very heavy, both on the British front line and the support lines. During that day two officers were killed and two wounded, and 160 other ranks were killed, wounded, or missing. 

Silas was killed in action on 20 September. He received a battlefield burial and by 1920 he had been reburied at Oxford Road Cemetery. 

See house on LowestoftOldAndNow.org