Private. 1/6th Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment. Service number 300159.
Early life:
Milford was born on December 30, 1888 to parents Hargreaves and Mary Ann Brown. He was baptised at Haworth on May 12 the next year when their home was at Bridgehouse Lane and his father was a baker.
They were living at 29, Bridgehouse Lane, Haworth at the time of the 1891 census and he was two years of age and had three older sisters Emma, Eva and Candace. By now his father had changed jobs and was a worsted weaving overlooker.
In the 1901 census ten years later, he was twelve and they were now living at River Street in Haworth and his Father was now working as an oat bread baker on his own account. Milford was a worsted spinner at this time.
He now had a younger brother called Maurice.
By 1911 he was 22 and still living at home but they were now at 18, Mytholmes Lane and his two eldest sisters had married and moved out, leaving him with one sister Candace and brother still at home with him.
Their father Hargreaves was still an oat bread baker and Milford had become a painter and paper hanger.
Milford married Laura Quayle who was from the Isle of Man, their marriage was registered in the third quarter of 1916 at Keighley.
War service:
In October of the same year Milford enlisted with the West Riding Regiment at Haworth and then to training and on to France in January 1917.
Keighley News October 20, 1917 page 3:
Private Wilfred Brown, who prior to enlistment was in business at Oakworth as a painter, has been admitted to hospital, having received injuries to his foot.
He served with the 1/6th West Riding Regiment until April 12, 1918 when he was killed in action in the front line at BECQUE de la FLANCHE near Bailleul Station, about forty kilometres from Dunkirk. This was directly South East of Bailleul. He was just 29 years of age and throughout the afternoon of the 12th the line was continuously shelled by enemy artillery and trench mortar fire, with heavy machine gun fire coming from the opposite trenches. We do not know exactly how he died and unfortunately his body was lost on the battlefield so he has no known final resting place. He is remembered on the Tyne Cot memorial to the missing.
WO-95/2801/4. War diary.
1/6th Battalion Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment. April, 1918:
NIEPPE 11th.
At 7 pm received orders were received to withdraw platoons down the BAILLEUL ROAD, (orders attached).
11.30 pm. The Battalion was successfully withdrawn & bivouaced at cross roads just south of BAILLEUL (S27 cont. SHEET 28) Groups were pushed out.
CROSS ROADS S.27. 12th. 8 am.
Breakfasts were served by two cookers at about 8 am & situation appeared very quiet.
9.45 am. At 9.45 am orders were received to push out a patrol to A2.a and .c and A.2.d. (orders & map attached) to verify presences of enemy in strength near BLANC MAISON & to clear up the situation which was very obscure & to report what troops of ours were in the vicinity. 2/Lt THACKERAY & 15 O.R. including Cpls. GIBSON & GREEN went off & reported various parties – under officers, were withdrawing.
11.45 am. The patrol arrived back near position of our bivouacs at about 11.45 a.m. & reported that the enemy could be seen about A.14.a – that we held this cemetery in A.7.b., but that our defences & outpost line were practically non-existent.
12.15 pm. At about 12.15 pm orders were received to establish line of the BECQUE de la FLANCHE.
B Coy remained in reserve & the other three Companies were sent off to establish above line. A on right, B centre, D left, eventually some time later A Coy established their right post part astride the Railway. (S25C. cont. SHEET 28) about 300 yards West of BAILLEUL STATION & got in touch with troops on their right. C Coy on left D Coy were in touch with 16th R.S. & this was a small part of 11th Suffolk’s under an officer between C & D. Our 7th Battalion were also a little mixed up with D Coy. Presently the line of the BECQUE was established & dug in during the night.
During the early afternoon of the 12th Capt. K. Ogston was seriously wounded in the thigh by M. G. bullet.
Throughout the afternoon of the 12th the line was continuously shelled & T. M. & heavy M. G. fire put down on it – it was particularly intense on the left.
In the diary appendixes later, a typed casualty list in the war diary listed Milford as:
300159 Pte. Brown M. Killed in action 12.4.1916.
Keighley News May 4, 1918 page 3:
WORTH VALLEY.
News has just come to hand that Private Milford Brown (West Riding Regiment), of Oakworth, was killed in action on April 13. He enlisted in October, 1916, and went to France in January, 1917. Later he was wounded. After recovery, he rejoined his regiment and took part in several of the recent battles.
Before joining the forces he was a master painter and decorator in Oakworth.
Post war:
His wife Laura was later living at 4, Mona St., Peel, Isle of Man so may have gone back to stay with her parents after his death.
He was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal for his war service.
Remembrance:
Milford is remembered on the Tyne Cot memorial. Panel 82 to 85 or 162A.
He is remembered locally on the Oakworth war memorial and on the Oakworth Methodist Church war memorial panel in the church. He is also named on the Haworth war memorial.
There is a memorial inscription to Milford Brown on the family grave in Haworth cemetery which reads: “Milford Brown, Killed in action April 13th 1918 aged 29 years.”
Information sources:
England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915.
West Yorkshire, Non-Conformist Records, 1646-1985.
1891 England Census.
1901 England Census.
1911 England Census.
England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919.
Memorial on family grave in Haworth cemetery.
British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920.
WWI Service Medal and Award Rolls, 1914-1920.
Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929.
Keighley News archives at Keighley Library.
