Geoffrey Broome
Died of Illness 10th July 1918
Geoffrey's Story
Geoffrey was born in 1895, the youngest son of Thomas and Elizabeth Broome. His siblings, all born at Bowdon were Jessie born in 1880; Jodrell born 1883; Gertrude born 1886; Ernest born 1890; Alfred born 1892 and Marian born 1894.
At the 1901 Census the family were living at Park Road, Bowdon, with Geoffrey, aged 5. The family then moved to Holmes Chapel where he was admitted to Holmes Chapel School on the 11th October 1904.
In the 1911 Census he is living at Holmes Chapel, aged 15 and working as a gardener.
He enlisted at Northwich as a Private in the Labour Corps with the number 362898.
He was discharged from the Army on 7th July 1918 and was buried at the Holmes Chapel Cemetery on 10th July 1918.
Alfred Brown
Died of Wounds 26th February 1916
Alfred's Story
Alfred Brown, son of Robert and Sarah Brown, was born in July 1894 at Cranage. He was living at Hermitage Lane Cottage in 1901 and was reported to have been admitted to Cranage School in 1899.
In 1911 he was living at the Vicarage, the house of John Armitstead as a domestic servant aged 15.
Sometime after this date he moved to the village of Whixall in Shropshire and it was from there that he enlisted.
He enlisted at Northwich into the 5th Battalion of the Kings Shropshire Light Infantry with number 15109 in December 1914. In August 1915 he was serving abroad. The next report in the Parish Magazine was in March 1916 which stated he had been wounded in France on Feb 11th.
Sadly he died at Whitegate on Sea on February 26th 1916. He is not included on the Roll of Honour or the HC memorial but he is on the Cranage School memorial plaque and on the Whixall War memorial
He is buried in grave N.45 at Whixall, St Mary graveyard.
'They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.'
Extract from 'For the Fallen' by Laurence Binyon