Pte 51593 Thomas Seales Brown

• Age: 20
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 12th October 1916
• Commemorated at: Warlencourt Brit Cem
  Panel Ref: II.B.23

Thomas Seales Brown was born on 04th October 1896, the only child of Samuel George Brown and Minnie (née Miller).  His parents, both from Liverpool, married in St Bride’s Church, Toxteth Park on the 05^th September 1893. Samuel was a 24 year old hairdresser of 3 Leece Street, father Thomas Seales, whilst Minnie was of 16 Wolstenholme Sq., father Thomas. Thomas is their only living child on the census records. He was baptised in St. Silas, Liverpool on 10th November 1896, his father’s occupation listed as hairdresser, and parents’ residence 160 Mt. Pleasant. Thomas was named after his paternal grandfather, Thomas Seales Brown (who died in 1901). 

In the 1901 Census, Samuel and Minnie are living with her mother, Emily Elliot, at 20, The Woodlands, Birkenhead.  Samuel, 31, is a wig maker, his mother Minnie is 33, and Thomas is 4. 

He enlisted in Liverpool as Rifleman 4515 joining the 6th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment (Liverpool Rifles). He embarked from Folkestone-Boulogne on 14th July 1916 reaching the 24th Infantry Base Depot on 15th July 1916. He then proceeded to the 11th Entrenching Battalion on 02nd August 1916 and proceeded to the17th Battalion K.L.R. on 05th August 1916 and was posted as Private No 51593 on 05th September 1916.

Thomas was killed in action on the 12th October 1916 during the Battle of the Transloy Ridges which was part of the ongoing Somme Offensive. He had just turned 20 years of age. 

17^th Bn War Diary:  Battle of Transloy Ridge –                                               

11-10-16 - Gird Trench/Gird Support – Battalion in front line and support trenches. British bombardment of enemy front line system commenced about midday.  Hostile shelling was intermittent throughout the day.

12-10-16  - Our bombardment continued. Enemy reply weak.  2.5 p.m. Zero hour. Attack on German front line system commenced.  Enemy wire was found to be uncut and attack was unsuccessful.  Hostile machine gun fire was very heavy and caused many casualties. Battalion H.Q. and Support Trench were heavily shelled throughout afternoon and evening. […] During this action all communication had to be carried out by runners and carrier pigeons as all wires were being continually cut by enemy shelling.

Casualties: 5 officers killed,  5 officers wounded, 38 OR killed, about 225 OR wounded/missing etc.

Graham Maddocks, in “Liverpool Pals” p.140, adds:

“As the whistle blew, the 17^th Battalion left its trenches to move forward.  […]  As soon as the attacking waves left their trenches the enemy artillery began to register on them, and at the same time, the defending infantry commenced a murderous rain of fire.  […]  Although their numbers had been depleted by the British bombardment, they were trained and experienced soldiers, well dug in on high ground, and for the most part, looking out on uncut wire.  As such, it was virtually impossible for them to miss the City Battalion men struggling to advance in the mud towards them.   The 17^th Battalion, on the left, was particularly badly hit, as its portion of No Man’s Land contained a slight rise in the ground, and as the troops emerged onto it they were silhouetted against the sky and became easy targets.  Those on the left of the attack, who managed to avoid the hail of bullets and make it to the German wire, then found that it was totally uncut, and thus trapped, they too became easy targets, to be picked off almost at the enemy’s will.  It was hardly surprising that, seeing the first waves being wiped out, some of the following waves turned back and made for their start lines. These lines were now packed with other waves of troops, however, and the fleeing men added to the congestion already there, and became easy prey for the German gunners.  There is some evidence also, to suggest that at this stage, the British trenches were also being hit by their own heavy artillery shells which were falling short.”