Pte 33092 Robert Brown

• Age: 28
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 7th December 1918
• Commemorated at: Archangel Allied Memorial

33092 Private Robert BROWN, 17^th Battalion KLR, KIA 07.12.1918  Aged 28 years.   

Robert Brown was born on 17^th January 1895 in Toxteth, Liverpool, the only son of Anderson Murray Brown and his wife Margaret Anne (nee Gallagher), who were married in Liverpool Parish Church on 7^th December 1893. Anderson and Margaret each gave their address as 98 Parliament Street. Anderson, known within his family as ‘Andy’, was a 26 year old mariner and Margaret was 21 years old, the daughter of Charles Gallagher, described in their marriage certificate as a “gentleman”. 

At the time of Robert’s birth, they were living at 48 Wesley Street, Toxteth.

On 3^rd September 1896 their daughter Margaret Esther was born at 97 Beaufort Street.

There is no entry in either the 1901 or 1911 Census Returns in respect of the family although there is a record of ‘Andy’ Brown serving aboard SS “Worsley Hall” in 1893, SS “Flavian” in 1887, and SS “Catalonia” in 1890.

Robert’s mother died in 1909.

The 1911 Census showsRobert living with his widowed aunt, Caroline Gallagher, his mother’s sister in law, at 124 Northumberland Street, Liverpool, when Robert is 16 years old and working as a grocer’s assistant.

Robert enlisted in the 17th Battalion of THe King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 33092. His service record is amongst those destroyed by fire during WW2 but other records show that he was awarded two medals and was serving in 1916 in France, when his name appears on returns which show he was wounded in action. His service number suggests that he probably enlisted in 1915 or 1916.

In Octoer 1918 Robert was amongst those Pals who were posted to Russia and was killed in action on 7^th December 1918.

Graham Maddocks in his book “Liverpool Pals” relates how in early December 1918, intelligence indicated that the Bolsheviks were planning to attack the town of Tarassova and “D” Company of the 17^th Battalion made their way to the town on 5^th December to await the attack and learned from a prisoner that the attack would take place at 7.00am on 6th. Their CO, Captain E A Dickson MC, decided to pre-empt the attack and two officers, 76 other ranks, supported by 30 White Russians travelled through that night and came upon the enemy from the rear. They quickly captured an enemy blockhouse, killing seven and capturing four more, without suffering any casualties themselves. They then attacked a Bolshevik transport column and successfully attacked that, capturing it intact and seizing an amount of arms and ammunition including two Maxim machine guns. The enemy was now aware of their presence and fought back with snipers in the forest area. The Pals continued their advance and after heavy fighting during which the enemy lost many men they captured an enemy supply dump. By now they were within one mile of the enemy whose defence became more effective. One of their two officers, 2^nd Lieutenant A. Cousins, was wounded and Captain Dickson was soon up against an estimated enemy force of about 600 men. The White Russians made a somewhat hesitant if not reluctant attack against the Bolshevik flank but were never seen again. Dickson realised his ammunition was running low and his own Lewis guns were seizing up because of the wintry conditions and decided to withdraw, destroying the captured wagons and limbers and even killing most of the captured horses first. They retreated, taking the Maxim guns with them but eventually had to break up the guns and abandon them in the forest before returning to Tarassova with five prisoners and seven horses. Second Lieutenant Cousins later died of his wounds, as did Sergeant Percy Greany MM; three others were wounded but recovered, and Privates Charles Ainsworth, Robert Brown, James Houghton, Alfred Owens and Henry Turner were all killed during this action.

Robert’s body was not recovered and he is commemorated on the Archangel Memorial in Russia.

During both world wars, Archangel was one of the ports through which the Allies assisted Russia with supplies and munitions. The cemetery was begun immediately after the occupation of the town in August 1918 by the Allied force sent to support the Soviet Russian Government against potential threat from German occupied Finland and other local sources. It was used by No.85 General Hospital, No.53 Stationary Hospital, No.82 Casualty Clearing Station, HM Hospital Ship 'Kalyan' and other Allied hospitals. 

ARCHANGEL ALLIED CEMETERY contains 224 burials and commemorations of the First World War, including special memorials to 140 officers and men with known burials in cemeteries elsewhere in northern Russia. Two of the burials are unidentified. The cemetery also contains 7 Second World War burials. The ARCHANGEL MEMORIAL, which consists of panels fixed into the east wall of the cemetery, commemorates 219 British officers and men who died during the north Russian campaign and whose graves are not known.

The official Register of Soldiers Effects shows that monies owed to him were forwarded to his aunt, Mrs Caroline Carr, who in fact is Caroline Gallagher who remarried in 1912.

Robert’s father had died in 1920. 

Robert’s sister, Margaret Esther, married a John William Soens and together they had a son, Alexander, who died in 2000. Margaret Esther died in 1988.

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