Name
Bramwell Joseph Brown
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
31/07/1917
34
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
268049
Hertfordshire Regiment
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panel 54 and 56.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford, Hurstpierpoint War Memorial, West Sussex
Pre War
Bramwell was born in Portslade in Sussex and was the son of Mrs H. M. Martin, later recorded as of The Ribbets, Hurstpierpoint, Sussex.
He was married to Rhoda Marie Morris (formerly Brown), recorded atf 9 Park Cottages, Hurstpierpoint after his death. He formerly served in the R.A.M.C. Bramwell was 34 when he died and is remembered on the Hurstpierpoint War Memorial.
Wartime Service
Died at St Julien on 31st July 1917.
St Juliaan St Julien
The 1st Hertfordshire Battalion were in support of an
attack on the Langemarck Line and a general bombardment of the German lines
commenced at 3.45am on the 31st July 1917 and the planned assault began. It had
three objectives to achieve known as Blue, Black & Green and units of the
116th Brigade easily captured the first two objectives, preparing the way for
the forward companies of the Hertfordshire battalion, to take the third
objective.
They had marched from Vlamertingue to their assembly
position arriving by midnight on the 30th/31st July 1917. A general bombardment
of the German lines commenced at 3.45am on the 31st July. At 05.00am the
Hertfordshires left their assembly positions to attack their objective, which
lay over the crest of a ridge.
As they made their way forward, they came under heavy
fire from both German machine guns and snipers but after eliminating a German
strongpoint moved up towards St. Juliaan, which was only lightly held. The
Battalion crossed the Steenbeek with some difficulty and two of its supporting
Tanks became bogged down in the mud. Things then went from bad to worse. A
pre-arranged artillery barrage never materialised due to the guns being unable
to move forward over the muddy terrain and the German barbed wire defences,
which were fifteen feet deep in some places, were found to still be intact. It
was soon realised that ground could only be won by section "rushes"
supported by the unit’s own fire.
The Cheshire Regiment were on the right of the battalion
but the Black Watch, who were due to cover the left flank, had been seriously
delayed. This left the Hertfordshire Regiment seriously exposed, the Germans
exploited this by bringing a hurricane of fire down upon the stricken troops.
This was followed by a German counterattack and by 10.30am it was clear that
the objective could not be achieved. Casualties were very heavy with 459 men
being killed, missing or wounded. This
was 100% of its Officers and about 75% of its Other Ranks.
Acknowledgments
Jonty Wild, Martin Smith
