Father of ten children, Pte Alfred George Brown, 21170, 7th Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment, was killed in action on the Somme on July 16th, 1916. He was aged 38, and his enlistment documents stated that he was fit for home service only.
Pte Brown had served in the Bedfordshire Regiment (22249) before joining the Northants Regiment in July 1915. Despite the home service only clause, he was posted to a garrison battalion in Egypt for about nine months before being transferred to France about four weeks before his death. His military record states that he was buried at the Maricourt Military Cemetery,
Born in Woolwich in 1878, he married Mary Ann Burr at St Matthew's Church, Luton, on July 30th, 1898. His widow and ten children, aged up to 17, were living at 146 Hartley Road, Luton.
Before enlisting he was employed as a straw hat blocker at Messrs Carruthers and Creak, Bute Street.