Private Kenneth McDonald Brown was born February 14th, 1891, in Gay’s River, Colchester County, the eldest son of George and Evelyn (nicknamed Effie) (nee Wambolt) Brown.  Kenneth was the second of twelve children; Lottie, Kenneth, Grace, Harold, Max, Margaret, Morton, Percy, Gertrude, Arthur, James, and Eleanor.  The family practiced the Presbyterian faith.  Kenneth was 26 years old at the time of his enlistment, and was working as a miner at the Molega Mines.  He stood 5 feet 4 ½ inches tall (164 cm), weighed 137 pounds (62 kg), and had brown eyes and black hair.  

 

      Kenneth enlisted on February 22nd, 1918, as an Infantryman in the 17th (Reserve) Battalion in the Nova Scotia Regiment and was assigned the rank of Private and Regimental number 3180544. 

Private Brown sailed April 8th, 1918, on SS Metagama from Halifax, disembarking at Liverpool, England on April 20th.  Two days before arriving in England, Private Brown began to experience tenderness and swelling in his right jaw, the condition soon moving to his left jaw as well.  He did not look or feel ill, appeared to be a “robust soldier with a good physique”, and had a normal temperature and pulse rate.  He was admitted to the Bramshott Hospital and diagnosed with mumps; he was assigned 28 days in isolation.  He recovered and was discharged on May 21st, 1918.

 

      Awaiting deployment to France, Private Brown proceeded on leave June 20th-26th, 1918.  On the last day of leave, he experienced a loss of appetite and was feeling ill.  On June 27th, he was again admitted to the Bramshott Hospital, and two days later, he was diagnosed with pneumonia.  Private Brown perished on July 3rd, 1918, at 27 years old.    

 

      Private Brown left his estate to his mother, Effie.  She was also awarded the Memorial Cross medal (also known as the Silver Star), and his father, George, received the Memorial Plaque and Scroll.

     

      Private Brown is interred in Plot I, Row B, Grave 4, at the Bramshot (St Mary) Churchyard near Portsmouth, England.  His headstone is inscribed with “SAFE IN THE ARMS OF JESUS”.  He is also memorialized on his father George’s headstone at the South Brookfield Union Cemetery.

 

      Private Kenneth McDonald Brown is commemorated on page 375 of the World War One Book of Remembrance.  He is also listed on the Caledonia Cenotaph.

 

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Online References

War Grave Search – https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/359931/kenneth-mcdonald-brown/

Local Grave Search - https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/193815831/kenneth-mcdonald-brown

Note:  Portions of the memorial tribute by Sharon Livingstone were used for this profile.

Canadian Virtual War Memorial - https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/359931?Kenneth%20Mcdonald%20Brown

Canadian Census  - https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Home/Record?app=census&IdNumber=7918542&ecopy=e001975887

First World War Personnel Records Database (file download size 9.75 Meg) - https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Home/Record?app=pffww&IdNumber=69604&ecopy=266242a