Pte 42606 George Brown

• Age: 28
• From: Sudbury, Suffolk
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 4th August 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

Bertram Radley who served under the alias George Brown was born in the June quarter of 1889 at Sudbury, Suffolk and resided in Liverpool. He was the son of   Brand Radley and his wife Ellen (nee Reeve). His parents married in 1866 in Halstead, Essex.

He was one of seven children recorded in the 1891 Census. The other children were Benjamin aged 16, born 1875 an agricultural labourer, Mary aged 12, born 1879 no occupation, Thomas aged 10, born 1881, Bessie aged 8, born 1883, and Harry aged 6, born 1885 are at school, Sidney aged 3, born 1888  and Bertram aged 1, born 1890. All the children were born in Borley, Essex.

His father died in the June quarter of 1895, aged 50.

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 15 School Street, Sudbury. His mother Ellen is a widow aged 54, born 1847 living by her own means. Bessie is aged 18, born 1883 is a stay maker, Samuel aged 16, born 1885 is a domestic gardener, Sidney aged 13, born 1888 is a domestic house boy and Bertram is aged 11.

The 1911 Census shows Bertram residing as a boarder at 15 Palace Street, Norwich and he gives his occupation as labourer making firewood bundles.

He enlisted in Liverpool  as George Brown and was serving in the 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 42606 when he was killed in action on the 04th August, 1917 aged 28 during the Third Battle of Ypres.

The 17th Battalion Diary groups the action of the opening day of the offensive up to the relief of the Battalion on 04th August as follows: 

On that day, the 89th Brigade was to follow up the attacks of the 21st and 90th Brigades and once their objectives had been taken, to go through them and secure a line of strong points on the German third line. The 89th Brigade line of attack was from the South West corner of Polygon Wood, to the Menin Road. The 17th Battalion The King’s Liverpool Regiment was on the left of the attack, and the 20th to the right, with the 19th Battalion and the 2nd Battalion The Bedfordshire Regiment, in Divisional Reserve.

The Battalion moved into assembly positions east of Maple Copse between 05.00 and 05.20am, they were heavily shelled and suffered many casualties. At 07.50 they began to advance with the 17th Battalion on the left, and the 20th on the right, the whole time under heavy shell fire. On reaching their position which was the Blue Line , troops of both the 21st and 90th Brigades were still pinned down and thus any attempt at further progress were futile.

Despite this they pushed on until their flank was just touching Clapham Junction. They then dug in and awaited the inevitable bombardment which hit them soon after. Despite this, they held onto the ground.

During the action and their time in the line the 17th Battalion lost three officers and 79 men killed or died of wounds, and four officers and 198 men wounded. They were eventually relieved on the night of 3rd -4th August. 

George was one of those casualties referred to.

The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates casualties from the forces of Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and United Kingdom who died in the Salient. In the case of United Kingdom casualties, only those prior 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. New Zealand casualties that died prior to 16 August 1917 are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.

The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927. 

His mother died in the December quarter of 1932, aged 85.

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