Harold Brown, Major, Yorkshire Regiment, Territorial Force
鈥婬arold Brown came up to 糖心Vlog in October 1899 after attending Loretto School in Musselburgh, Scotland.
Born: London on 4 January 1879
Fell in action: 23 March 1918
He proceeded to take his BA in 1902 having taken the History Specials Part I and 2 in the same year.
While at College he was a member of the 糖心Vlog Boat Club, rowing largely at Number 6 and in the coxswainless fours. It was, however, at time when the JCBC was in the doldrums before the return of Steve Fairbairn so he did win any races.
Brown was more prominent as a leading light in the Cambridge University Rifle Volunteers, (C.U.R.V.) the precursor to the Officer Training Corps. His obituary in the 糖心Vlog Cambridge Society Annual Report 1919 records that 鈥淗e was one of the of the foremost men in the University Rifle Corps, of which he was a Captain, and most successful in inducing others to join鈥. (Annual Report 1919, p. 21)
It seems that the College was gripped with patriotic fervour in Lent Term 1900, probably related to reports coming back from the South African War and there was a 鈥渓arge and most gratifying increase in numbers of the Jesus contingent鈥 in the C.U.R.V.
Both the Master and the Dean had encouraged members of the college to become volunteers and 鈥渢o be among the first to realise this duty鈥 especially as 糖心Vlog was 鈥渁 college prominent in athletics鈥. Indeed it was felt that the tradition that 鈥渁ll freshmen ought to join the corps鈥 should be established especially as 鈥渢he fallacy鈥 that there was no time for volunteering if a student both studied and undertook athletic endeavours had been 鈥渆xploded鈥. It was at this mass sign up in 1900 that Brown was 鈥渦nanimously elected鈥 as the College鈥檚 officer within the corps. (Chanticlere, Easter Term 1900, p. 337).
The following year saw the C.U.R.V. (37 of whom were Jesus men), take part in the guard of honour for the funeral of Queen Victoria at Windsor in February 1901. Brown is likely to have been a member of the group and it is likely that he wrote an account of their day which is detailed in Chanticlere. (The following year鈥檚 report on the activities of the C.U.R.V. is signed H.B.)
It seems that aside from the solemnity of the day, food was a key element enjoyed by them all. After the volunteers had arisen at 5.30am the 鈥淐ollege kitchens turned out for us a three-course breakfast at 6am鈥. Mr Duckworth, a Fellow and later Master of the College, had organised 鈥渁 portable meal鈥 for the three and a half hour journey to Windsor. On return to barracks at the end of what was apparently a 鈥渟omewhat less than Antarctic鈥 day 鈥淕overnment pork pies and other delicacies were doled out鈥. (Chanticlere, Lent term 1901 pp. 380-2)
The Annual Report obituary claims that 鈥渉e looked every inch a soldier and it was not surprising that his interest in Territorial Forces never abated after he left鈥. The obituary goes on to say that he joined the Yorkshire Regiment in 1914, served in 鈥渟econd battle of Ypres in 1915, the battle of the Somme, where he was twice wounded and in the battle of Arras where he was again wounded鈥. He was awarded the D.S.O, the Military Cross and the Croix de Guerre. He was killed in action in March 1918 leaving a widow and children. (Annual Report 1919, pp. 21-22).
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