Manitoba's WWI Fallen: John Henry Brown of McConnell

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War, I am working on a series of blog posts and radio shows that will look at some of the Manitobans who died in action. For more about this project and links to other posts, follow this link.

John was the second youngest of seven children born to Emily and William Brown of McConnell, Manitoba. William died in 1906, when John was just 11, and his mother had to take housekeeping work to support the family.

By his late teens John was in Saskatchewan working on a farm. He enlisted with the 53rd Battallion (Northern Saskatchewan) CEF on November 30, 1915. He was killed in action on September 6, 1916 while with the 14th Battalion (Royal Montreal Regiment).

His Certificate of Death reads simply: "Died of wounds in the field, France." He is commemorated on the Vimy Memorial in Pas de Calais, France and the war memorial in Oak River, Manitoba.

Related:
McConnell: Little Town Lost pp 273-277
Virtual War Memorial entry
Attestation Papers