Matthew Brown

Died of Wounds on the 26/03/1918 at the 49th Casualty Clearing Station. Wounds sustained on the 21/03/1918 at the Battle of St. Quentin (part of the 1st Battles of the Somme 1918)

ADDITIONAL FAMILY INFORMATION - From the 1891 Census - Address - Blair Road, Coatbridge - John Brown aged 36, Janet Brown aged 34, Janet Brown aged 11, John Brown aged 7, Alexander Brown aged 5, Matthew Brown aged 2, Christina Brown aged 7 months. The Battalion arrived in France in June 1916 and were part of the 120th Brigade, 40th Division. Matthew Died of Wounds sustained on the opening day of the German Spring Offensive at the Battle of St. Quentin on the 21/03/1918. He Died of Wounds at the 49th Casualty Clearing Station. The Battle was a phase in the First Battles of the Somme, 21st of March - 5th of April 1918 : After transferring very large forces from the now-collapsed Eastern Front, the German Army commits to a series of large-scale offensives. The first, Operation Michael, strikes the British Fifth and Third Armies. A deep advance is made and inflicts large losses. Operation Michael involved a vast attack along the whole front between the River Oise and the River Sensée. This area is generally known as "the Somme" sector, although geographically it includes the Cambrésis and the Santerre plateau. The entire area between the St. Quentin / Cambrai front line and the Bapaume / Albert area had been deliberately laid waste by the Germans when they withdrew from that area (in Operation Alberich) in spring 1917. SEE PHOTOS x 9 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY MARCH 1918 and PHOTOS x 17 FOR THE 40th DIVISION BOOK 1st - 21st MARCH 1918. The Battalion War Diary states - Total Casualties 21/03/1918 - 27/03/1918 : Officers - 3 Killed, 3 Wounded, 1 Missing. Other Ranks - 19 Killed, 106 Wounded, 124 Missing. Matthew played for Drumpellier Cricket Club, batting left handed and bowling right arm medium to fast. Matthew is also remembered in the St. Augustine's (book) Roll of Honour. See photos for Matthew's Medal Index Card, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, his CWGC Grave Registration x 2, his Headstone Report x 2, Puchevillers British Cemetery, the Highland Light Infantry Cap Badge and Matthew's Pension Records x 2. Matthew's grave inscription reads "THY WILL BE DONE". Finally. see photos for Newspaper clippings x 7 (Coatbridge Express x 2, Coatbridge Leader x 3 and the Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser x 2), the 40th Division Order of Battle x 12 (the Division he was with when he died) and another 4 photos of Matthew's grave kindly donated by my friend in France, Thierry Dericbourg.