Brown J W Lt Royal Field Artillery
BROWN, JAMES WESTHALL, Lieut., 3rd Highland (Howitzer) Brigade,Royal Field Artillery, s. of the late James Denholm Brown, of 34, Margaret Street, Greenock, Scotland: b. Greenock, 18 Sept. 1885; edue, Collegiate School there: Technical College, Glasgow, and at Glasgow University; joined the R.F.A. 2 Oct. 1914, and was gazetted 2nd Lieut. 4 Dec. 1914; served with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force until Nov, 1915, and had command of a battery of four guns at Suvla Bay until the withdrawal. Returning to Port Said. he volunteered for special services in connection with the Royal Air Force, and took his first flight 26 Feb. 1916, afterwards qualifying as Observer. He returned to England and obtained his Graduation Certificate, completing his course 4 Jan. 1917, when he was appointed Pilot; he served with the B.E.F. from 21 March, 1917, and was killed in action near Arras 14 May, 1917. Buried in the Beaurains Road British Cemetery, near Arras, Major E. Gosage, R.A.F., wrote: “He was employed at artillery observation when he was attacked by a hostile machine, and was apparently killed in the air, as his machine fell in our lines. The hostile machine dived at them seven times, and although they put up a plucky fight he was too much for them.. Your son has done exceedingly good work with the Squadron; he was one of the type which we can ill afford to lose; all the officers in the Squadron tender to you their sincere and heartfelt sympathy.” Unm
Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 5