On 23 July 1915, the Shipley Times & Express reported: “Interesting letters are to hand from Arthur John Brown, youngest son of Mr and Mrs C W Brown of 41 George Street, Saltaire. “At the outbreak of war he was mobilised with the Shipley detachment of the Royal Army Medical Corps but afterwards transferred to the 1st West Riding Field Company of the Royal Engineers. For some time past he has been with the British forces at the Dardanelles. “Writing home on July 1st he expressed the pleasure with which he had received a parcel of cakes etc., and goes on to say – ‘We have had it very hard this last week but we have had a big advance and have don exceedingly well. ‘We have only one captain till now and a lieutenant who has just returned from hospital so you can guess we have been very unlucky with our officers as well as with a lot of the men. ‘I got hit on the arm with a piece of shrapnel but it did no more than bruise the skin. We keep moving our “home” nearer Constantinople.’ “In another letter, written on 2 July, he says that he is keeping in excellent health and spirits. Up to that time he had only met one

soldier out there whom he knew in civil life. From what he had heard he expected to have the pleasure of seeing more Shipley men later on. “In the last advance he was alongside the Gurkhas whom he describes as a fine body of men. “Remarking that the people at home would have a difficulty in recognising him if he was photographed out there, he says they think nothing of going a week without a wash owing to the scarcity of water. “There was no question of a half- day holiday. They think themselves lucky to get half a night’s undisturbed rest. “He adds – ‘You don’t know how we are looking forward to the new troops coming. When they arrive we are hoping to get a break; we have been hard at it since we forced the landing on April 25th. ‘We are making good progress and the “Germanturks” seem to be getting tired of trying to stop us. We are not hoping for any peace

here until we have wiped them out and then I hope they will send what is left of us to get reorganised for France.’ A few months later, on 16 March, came the news that Arthur had been recognised for his courage: “Sapper Arthur Brown, Royal Engineers, of George Street, Saltaire, has been awarded the Military Medal for gallantry in action. “Sapper Brown is 25 years of age and he has seen service both on the Gallipoli Peninsula and in France.” Arthur was given a short leave, very short as the newspaper reported on 12 May 1916: “The marriage took place on Tuesday at the Registry Office, Bradford, of Cpl Arthur John Brown, Royal Engineers, of George Street Saltaire, and Miss Annie Harris, Victoria Road, Saltaire. “The bridegroom fought on the Gallipoli Peninsular and has spent the last two months at the Font in France.

“He was married at 9 a.m. and at 10.25 a.m. left Bradford for the continent with the best wishes of his many friends that he might have good luck and safe return.” Arthur’s war service was mentioned again on 18 January 1918 when the paper reported the death of his father The final report came on 27 December 1918 when the Shipley Times & Expressed announced that Arthur had been given an award by the French: “Sgt A J Brown, Royal Engineers, of 41 George Street, Saltaire, has been informed that he has won the Croix de Guerre. He was awarded the Military Medal in 1917. “A letter from his major, received on Saturday, says: ‘Your distinctions are small compared with your record in the Army. The officers of our section send their congratulations.’ “Sgt Brown is one of the survivors of the 29th Division who landed at Sedd-el-Bahr, Gallipoli on 25th April 1915. He is now lying ill in the Tunbridge Wells Hospital, Kent.” We don’t know about Arthur’s life after the war although a death registered as on 11 October 1946, with burial in Scholemoor Cemetery looks as though it might have been him.