Edmund Arthur BROWNSWORTH

6 August 1915

PROMOTED FROM THE RANKS - SKIPTON SOLDIER'S DISTINCTION

Second-Lieutenant Brownsworth, of the Leicestershire Regiment, youngest son of the late Mr. David Brownsworth, photographer, and of Mrs. Brownsworth, of Otley Street, Skipton, spent a few days at home on leave last week-end. Mr. Brownsworth, who obtained his commission from the ranks, attended the National School, Skipton, under Mr. Alfred Hartley, and at an early age adopted the sea as a profession. After spending two and a half years in the service he returned home on account of indifferent health, but at the age of 18 he joined the Leicestershire Regiment, in which he has since served.

He went to the Front on the outbreak of war, and though he has taken part in a considerable amount of trench fighting he has been fortunate enough to escape injury. It was in April last that Mrs. Brownsworth received a communication intimating that her son, who then held the rank of sergeant, had been given a commission.

Second-Lieutenant Brownsworth's many friends in the Skipton district will wish him the best of luck and hope that good fortune will allow him to enjoy the benefits of his well-earned promotion. Mrs. Brownsworth has three other sons at present serving with the Colours.

12 November 1915

CRAVEN AND THE WAR - Personal Pars.

Lieut.-Col. Birkbeck has taken over the command of the 3rd 6th Battalion Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment which he joined at Clipstone Camp on Thursday last week. Col. Birkbeck, it will be remembered, was forbidden some time ago by a Medical Board to rejoin the Expeditionary Force, with which he served for about six months as Commanding Officer of the 1/6th Battalion Duke of Wellington's.
Major Mackillop has for some time had command of the 2nd 6th Battalion, succeeding Col. R. E. Williamson, V.D., who is making a satisfactory recovery from the injuries he sustained by being thrown from his horse.

Major C. P. Cass, of the 1st 6th Battalion, Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment, who, it will be remembered, was Officer Commanding the Skipton Depot for a short time after mobilisation in August, 1914, is at present on leave from the front. He is a member of the Keighley Town Council and took part, early this week, in the election to the Mayoralty for the fourth time of Mr. W. A. Brigg.

Second-Lieutenant E. Brownsworth, of the Leicester Regiment, son of the late Mr. David Brownsworth, photographic artist, and of Mrs. Brownsworth, Otley Street, Skipton, has been spending a few days' leave at home. In his younger days he was a sailor, but at the age of 18 joined the Leicesters, going to the Front with them about twelve months ago. He was fortunate enough to escape without injury and had attained the rank of sergeant when he was offered a commission.

10 December 1915

THREE SKIPTON BROTHERS RECEIVE COMMISSIONS

Mr. David Alexander Brownsworth, son of the late Mr. David Brownsworth, artist, and Mrs. Brownsworth, of Skipton, has recently been granted a commission in the 10th East Lancashire Regiment. He is the third son of Mrs. Brownsworth to receive a commission; the others being Captain Walter Fowler Brownsworth, 4th Light Horse Brigade, Australian Expeditionary Force; and Lieut. Edmund Arthur Brownsworth, 1st Leicestershires, who has recently been promoted from Second-Lieutenant, his commission being originally granted for meritorious service in the field. Another son, Battalion Sergt.-Major Shearing Brownsworth, is also serving in Flanders.

12 May 1916

LIEUTENTANT BROWNSWORTH WOUNDED

On Tuesday last information was received that First-Lieutenant Edmund A. Brownsworth, son of the late Mr. David Brownsworth, photographer, and Mrs. Brownsworth, Otley Street Skipton, has been wounded by a mine explosion while serving with the 1st Leicester Regiment in France. News came to hand in a telegram from which it appeared that Lieut. Brownsworth was severely injured, and this was followed by a second telegram on Wednesday announcing that he had lived through the night.

Later information is to the effect that Lieut. Brownsworth has been admitted to the 10th Clearing Station at Beele, and that he received his wounds on the 8th inst.

The injured officer joined the Leicester Regiment the age of 18, and has been at the Front from the commencement of the War. He held the rank of sergeant when given his commission, and is one of four sons serving with the Colours.

2 June 1916

BROWNSWORTH - May 29th, the result of a mine explosion in France, Lieut. Edmund Brownsworth, Leicestershire Regiment, youngest son of Mrs. Brownsworth, Otley Street, Skipton, aged 24 years.

2 June 1916

SKIPTON OFFICER DIES OF WOUNDS

News was received in Skipton early this week of the death of Lieut. Edmund Brownsworth of the Leicester Regiment. Lieut. Brownsworth was the youngest son of the late Mr. David Brownsworth, artist, and Mrs. Brownsworth, of Otley Street, Skipton, and was 24 years of age. He received the first rudiments of education under Mr. A. Hartley at the National School, and later, after a period of training, was apprenticed to the Merchant Service. After many extended cruises he left the sea on account of ill health.

Later he joined the Army, and quickly rose to the rank of sergeant in the Leicestershire Regiment, and in that capacity went over to France in November, 1914. He so distinguished himself in trench fighting that the Brigadier General recommended him for a commission. He was gazetted to his old regiment in April, 1915 as a Second Lieutenant, being advanced in November to a Temporary Lieutenancy.

He had many narrow escapes while in the Ypres salient as a bombing leader, but was lucky. He was, however, dangerously wounded while attached to a school of instruction by a mine explosion on May, 6th. Despite the utmost care and skill of the surgeons of the fifth Casualty Clearing Hospital at Abeele, he died on Monday, May 29th.

Lieut. Brownsworth will be remembered by many of his companions, most of them now in the Forces, as a quiet youth and a fine athlete. He was a keen and proficient soldier and appears to have been highly regarded by the rank and file, among whom he served, and the officers of his battalion, both before and after receiving his commission.

He is the first of four soldier brothers to have suffered any hurt during the war. The others are:- Captain Walter Fowler, who served in the Australian Army at Anzac, and is now a staff officer in Egypt; Lieut. David, of the 10th East Lancashires, who is again somewhere at the Front; and the eldest, Battalion-Sergeant-Major Shearing who served throughout the Boer War from Klandslaagte to the end, and is now again with his old regiment in France.

Sincere sympathy will be extended to Mrs. Brownsworth and family.

31 May 1918

BROWNSWORTH - In tenderest, unfading memory of Edmund A. Brownsworth, Lieutenant, Leicestershire Regiment, who gave his young life for us at Abeele, France, on the 27th May, 1916.

Duty impelled you and you never faltered -
There was no need for her to whisper twice;
The end you saw not - no, nor would you have altered,
You took the Cross and made the sacrifice.

Mother, May 27th, 1918.

4 July 1919

PEACE SUPPLEMENT TO THE 'CRAVEN HERALD' - CRAVEN'S FALLEN OFFICERS

LIEUTENANT E. BROWNSWORTH

Leicester Regiment, youngest, son of the late Mr. David Brownsworth, Skipton, died May 20th 1916, aged 24 years.