Pte 57693 Maurice Brabben

• Age: 29
• From: Wisbech, Cambs
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• D.O.W Friday 13th April 1917
• Commemorated at: Warlincourt Halte Brit Cem
  Panel Ref: VII.E.3

Maurice was born on 02nd March 1888 in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire the son of Harry Brabben and his wife Betsy (nee Wells) who married in 1885. Harry was born in Westleton, Suffolk, and Betsy, in  West Deeping, in Lincolnshire. They had seven children; Maurice was their eldest son.  He was baptised on 06th May 1888 his parents address was given as 31 Albert Street, Wisbech and his father's occupation as a railway porter.

Maurice had an elder sister, Lilian Alice, and younger siblings Elsie Mary (who died in infancy), and Leonard, all born in Wisbech.

The 1891 Census shows the family are still living at 31 Albert Street, with Lilian, 4, Maurice, 3, and Leonard, six months. His father now works as a railway signalman.

By 1892 they had moved to the village of Walsoken, just outside Wisbech but in Norfolk, where Beatrice May, Ethel, and Arthur were born.  

By the time of the 1901 Census the family are living at 45 Rameth Road, Walsoken, where his father is employed as a railway signalman. Maurice is aged 13 and his siblings are; Lillian, Leonard, Beatrice May, Ethel and Arthur.

He is in the Postal Appointments Register, in May 1908 at Wisbech as assistant postman,

Nov 1909 in Hagley, Worcestershire

On the 1911 Census he is aged 23 and employed as a postman, boarding with widow Emma Cartwright, a 578 year old a postwoman, at Middleford Lane, Hagley, Stourbridge, Worcestershire.

His parents live at 59 Ramnoth Road, Walsoken, his father, 50, still a signalman, and his mother 45. Beatrice, 18, is a tailor, Ethel, 17, is at school, and 15-year old Arthur is a telegraph messenger.

Maurice returned to Wisbech in September 1911, as a postman. 

He married Kate Ellen Clarke in the third quarter of 1912, in Wisbech. No records of children born to the marriage have been found.

He worked in the Post Office for over 7 years, his  record showing, "Mr. Maurice Brabben discharged his duties with diligence and fidelity to the satisfaction of his superior officers."

He initially joined the North Divisional Cyclist Company, in Wisbech, as Private 398. He was subsequently transferred to the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 57693, before shipping overseas.

Maurice was wounded on 09th April 1917 and succumbed to his wounds, four days later, on 13th April 1917, aged 29. He now rests at Warlincourt Halte British Cemetery, Saulty, France. 

The site of the cemetery was chosen in May 1916. It was used from June 1916 to May 1917 by the 20th and 43rd Casualty Clearing Stations, in February 1917 by the 1/1st South Midland, and from April to June 1917 by the 32nd. The whole of plots VII, VIII, IX and X were filled in April and May 1917, the months of the Battles of Arras. From June 1917, the cemetery was practically unused until the fighting of May and June 1918, when field ambulances buried in it. After the Armistice the cemetery was increased by graves brought in from other smaller cemeteries.

The cemetery now contains 1,266 Commonwealth burials of the First World War. There are also 29 German and two French war graves.

The cemetery was designed by Charles Holden.

The Graves Registration form gives his date of death as 12th April 1917; all other records show the 13th.

His death was reported in the Lynn News on the 05th May 1917:

M. Brabben of Ramnoth Road, Walsoken, whose death from wounds is reported, was postman at Walsoken until joining the Army Cyclist Corps in March 1916. He later was transferred to the King's Liverpool's, and then to the MGC.

There is no record of Maurice serving in the MCG it is entirely probable that they are referring to the machine gun section of the K.L.R. 

Soldiers Effects including a War Gratuity of £3,  and a pension of 13/9d a week, to his widow, Kate Ellen, 15 Chandos St, Bridgwater.

A Post Office gratuity of £72-10s-6d was paid to his legal personal representative (presumably his widow).

Maurice is commemorated on the following Memorials:

Wisbech Post Office 

Walsoken War Memorial, Norfolk.

His father died in the December quarter of 1917, aged 56. 

His widow remarried in 1919 and provided her details to the CWGC as Mrs K E Webber (formerly Brabben) of 28 Friarn Street, Bridgwater, Somerset. 

His sister Beatrice married one week after the Armistice whilst her husband, serving in France with the Dorset Regiment, was on leave. They had a son they called Maurice.

His brother Leonard enlisted in April 1915, and  arrived at Le Havre with the Royal Field Artillery in February 1916. He survived the war.

In 1939 his mother lived alone at 132 Ramnoth Road. She died in the March quarter of 1946, aged 80.  
 
Kate lived in Bridgwater and died in 1962, aged 79.

We currently have no further information on Maurice Brabben, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.