Brown, Joseph
Rifleman
No. 47189, 15th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles
Killed in action on Thursday 22 November 1917
No known grave
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Thiepval Memorial (Pier and Face 15A and 15B)
Journey of Remembering Belfast Book of Honour
BIOGRAPHY
It was reported in the Belfast Telegraph newspaper that Mrs Brown of 34 Victoria Road, Bangor had received information that her son, Rifleman Joseph Brown, 15th Royal Irish Rifles (late Driver, ASC) who had been missing since 22 November 1917 is now reported killed on or since that date.
Joseph Brown was born in Belfast, he enlisted in Belfast and went to France in October 1915.
He served initially as a Driver (No. T3/030833) with the Army Service Corps and subsequently as a Rifleman in the 15th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles.
[The 15th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles was formed in Belfast in September 1914 from the Belfast Volunteers. It moved to Ballykinlar, Co Down and came under orders of 107th Brigade in 36th (Ulster) Division. In July 1915 the Battalion moved to Seaford, Sussex and in October 1915 it landed in France at Boulogne.]
[In 1918 the Army Service Corps (ASC) received the Royal prefix for its service in the First World War and became the Royal Army Service Corps (RASC)]
Rifleman Joseph Brown was killed in action on 22 November 1917 and on 17 September 1919 the War Office formally recognised as his ‘Informal Will’ an undated and unsigned letter that he had sent to his sister Lizzie. Lizzie was his sole legatee.
Rifleman Joseph Brown has no known grave and he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial in France and in the Journey of Remembering Belfast Book of Honour.