Date of birth: 1898-05-11
Place of birth: Gananoque Ontario Canada
Next of kin: Mrs. Helen McAuliffe, Mother, East Emily, R.R. No. 1, Ontario
Marital status: single
Occupation (attested): Farmer
Occupation (normalized): General Farmer
Address:
164 Bruce St., Hamilton, Ontario
Religion: Roman Catholic
Regimental number: 226353
Rank detailPrivate, 10th Battalion, Infantry (Army).
Degree of service: Europe
Survived war: no
Battle wounded/killed: Hill 70
Commemoration location: Gananoque War Memorial Park
AwardsVictoria Cross (Hill 70)
Description: For most conspicuous bravery, courage and devotion to duty. After the capture of a position, the enemy massed in force and counter-attacked. The situation became very critical, all wires being cut. It was of the utmost importance to get word back to Headquarters. This soldier and one other were given the message with orders to deliver the same at all costs. The other messenger was killed. Private Brown had his arm shattered but continued on through an intense barrage until he arrived at the close support lines and found an officer. He was so spent that he fell down the dug-out steps, but retained consciousness long enough to hand over his message, saying "Important message!" He then became unconscious and died in the dressing station a few hours later. His devotion to duty was of the highest possible degree imaginable, and his successful delivery of the message undoubtedly saved the loss of the position for the time and prevented many casualties.
Date of award: 1917-10-17
Date of award: 1917-08-16
Source: London Gazette, Issue 30338,
Comment: On 16 August 1917 at Hill 70, near Loos, France after the capture of a position, the enemy massed in force and counter-attacked and the situation became critical. All signal wires were cut and Private Brown and another soldier were given an important message to be delivered at all costs. The other messenger was killed and Private Brown's arm was shattered, but he struggled through to complete his mission before collapsing. He died of his wounds.
Notes: Canadian War Museum
Images
Omemee War Memorial listing Harry Brown VC
CVWM ID: No CVWM ID in our database, but try
this.
Service file: B1147-S005
Uploader's Notes: Harry Brown, the son of Mrs. Helen McAuliffe, East Emily, RR1, Ontario, was just past his 18th birthday when he enlisted in the CEF in the summer of 1916. He was likely in France by the end of the year and by the summer of 1917 he was a seasoned vertern, having participated in the battle for Vimy Ridge in April of that year. During the battle of Hill 70 in August, 1917, Private Brown was a messenger attached to the 10th Battalion. Despite the heavy artillary shelling he made several runs between the front lines and the battalion command post. At the time of his 3rd run, the Germans were massing for a counterattack and the hold that the 10th had on their position was weak. Pte Brown and another soldier were give identical messages and instructed to reach headquarters at all costs. The other soldier was killed in the barrage and Pte Brown was severly wounded, his arm shattered. He managed to continue through the barrage until he found an officer to give the message to. He fell unconsious immediatly afterward, and died from his wounds the next day. For his display of courage in getting the message through, saving the lives of his fellow soldiers, Harry Brown was awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest award given to Commonwealth soldiers.
Uploader's Research notes: [Private Army Canadian Infantry 10th Battalion Victoria Cross Hill 70 For most conspicuous bravery, courage and devotion to duty. After the capture of a position, the enemy massed in force and counter-attacked. The situation became very critical, all wires being cut. It was of the utmost importance to get word back to Headquarters. This soldier and one other were given the message with orders to deliver the same at all costs. The other messenger was killed. Private Brown had his arm shattered but continued on through an intense barrage until he arrived at the close support lines and found an officer. He was so spent that he fell down the dug-out steps, but retained consciousness long enough to hand over his message, saying "Important message!" He then became unconscious and died in the dressing station a few hours later. His devotion to duty was of the highest possible degree imaginable, and his successful delivery of the message undoubtedly saved the loss of the position for the time and prevented many casualties. On 16 August 1917 at Hill 70, near Loos, France after the capture of a position, the enemy massed in force and counter-attacked and the situation became critical. All signal wires were cut and Private Brown and another soldier were given an important message to be delivered at all costs. The other messenger was killed and Private Brown's arm was shattered, but he struggled through to complete his mission before collapsing. He died of his wounds. ]
Date added: 2004-09-04
Last modified: 2012-11-09
