Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of John Brown, born in the October quarter of 1859 in Stoney Stanton, Leicestershire and baptised on the 8th January 1860 in St. Michael’s Church, Stoney Stanton (son of Henry Brown and Rose Hannah Taylor) and his wife Mary Ann Brown (nee Turl, married in the April quarter of 1883 in the Hinckley, Leicestershire district), born in the January quarter of 1862 in Barwell, Leicestershire and baptised on the 10th August 1863 in All Saint’s Church, Sapcote (daughter of Samuel Turl and Emma Pridmore). Sidney Pridmore was born on the 27th April 1895 in Sapcote, Leicestershire. Sidney’s mother died In January 1899 aged 36, and was interred in Sapcote Cemetery on the 6th January. In the October quarter of 1900 Sidney’s father married Harriet Herbert in the Hinckley, Leicestershire district. In March 1901 Sidney was residing in the family home at Hinckley Road, Sapcote, together with his father, a stone quarry man, his step mother Harriet Brown, born in the April quarter of 1850 in Barwell and baptised on the 21st June 1850 in St. Mary’s Church, Barwell, and his siblings, Clement, a stone quarry man, born in the October quarter of 1883, Emma Turl, a hosiery trade machinist, born on the 12th July 1885 and Miriam Elizabeth, born on the 6th February 1889, all his siblings were born in Sapcote. In April 1911 Sidney was employed as a farm labourer and was residing in the family home at Hinckley Road, Sapcote, together with his father, a quarry labourer and his step mother.
Sidney enlisted/attested into the Regular Army on the 8th December 1915 in Leicester, and was allotted the service number 25714. He gave his age as 20 years 217 days. His marital status was given as unmarried and his trade or calling as shoe hand. He gave his present address as Hinckley Road, Sapcote, Leicestershire.
His medical examination took place and recorded his apparent age as 20 years 217 days, that he was 5 feet ? inches in height, had a chest measurement of between 33½ and 36 inches, He gave his religion as Church of England.
He gave his next of kin as his father, John Brown, Hinckley Road, Sapcote, Leicestershire.
During his period of military service, the following events of note occurred: -
Attested. Pte. 8/12/15.
To Army Reserve. Pte. 8/12/15.
Mobilized. 29/2/16.
Posted. Depot Leicestershire Regt. Pte. 29/2/16.
Posted. 3rd Bn. Leicestershire Regt. Pte. 2/3/16.
Embarked. Folkestone for Expeditionary Force. 3/8/16.
Posted. 12th Infantry Brigade Depot. 4/8/16.
Posted. 6th Bn. Leicestershire Regt. Pte. 4/8/16.
Joined. 6th Bn. Leicestershire Regt. In the Field. 29/8/16.
Accidentally killed. 5/5/17.
He was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Sidney’s surviving service record amounts to a total of eighteen pages, of which only seven pages relate directly to his military service, and these are in very poor condition, the hand written information in some cases is barely legible, damaged or missing entirely, however the content does offer at least a little descriptive insight into some of the events that took place during his period of service.
On the 25th December 1917, Sidney’s step mother was awarded a weekly Army Pension of five shillings for life.
Sidney died as a result of a trench collapse; the circumstances were described in his record as follows. In the matter of the accidental deaths an enquiry was held and the main details are as follows. The proceedings of the court of enquiry. Assembled In the Field on the 7th May 1917, by order of Lieutenant Colonel W. A. Eaton, Commanding 6th Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment for the purpose of investigating the circumstances under which No. 25714 Private S. Brown. No.11015 Private T. Bentley. No.10651 Private G. Downing. No.14244 Private G. Wilkes were accidentally killed through being buried. PRESIDENT Captain J. C. Burdett 6th Leicester Regiment. MEMBERS 2nd Lieutenant M. S. Davis attached 6th Leicester Regiment and 2nd Lieutenant W. A. Fletcher attached 6th Leicester Regiment. IN ATTENDANCE The Court having assembled pursuant to order, proceed to take evidence: - 1st Witness. No.12491 Private C. Reading states that about 8.30 am on the 6th May 1917, I went to all the deceased four men and on lifting up the trench shelter found the floor of the shelter under which the four men were sleeping was filled in by earth. I at once reported this to 2nd Lieutenant B. A. Basford who came along with me and started a party digging out the men, I stopped and helped to dig the men out. I should say we were digging for ten minutes and removed about two feet of earth before we found the four men. 2nd Witness. 2nd Lieutenant A. Basford 5th Reserve Bn. Nottinghamshire and Derby Regiment attached 6th Leicester Regiment. States: - About 8.30 am on the 6th May 1917, I was informed by Private C. Reading that the four deceased men were buried by a fall of earth. I immediately organised digging parties and after about two feet of earth had been removed recovered the bodies of the four men although they appeared to have been dead some time. Artificial means of respiration were resorted to and continued until the arrival of Captain H. S. Moore R.A.M.C. attached 6th Leicester Regiment who had been telephoned for immediately the accident was reported to me. The roof of the shelter was in its original position and nobody could tell there had been a fall of earth without lifting the shelter up and looking inside. 3rd Witness. Captain Moore R.A.M.C. attached 6th Leicester Regiment states: - On the morning of May 6th 1917, I received a message to come to “B” Echelon 6th Leicester Regiment to see the four men who had been buried, I came at once and found that the men had been dug out. I examined the four men and found that they were absolutely dead and probably had been dead for some time. FINDINGS. The Court declares that: - No. 25714 Private Brown S. 6th Leicestershire Regt. No. 11015 Private Bentley T. 6th Leicestershire Regt. No. 10651 Private Downing G. 6th Leicestershire Regt. No. 14244 Private Wilks G. 10th York & Lancaster attached 6th Leicestershire Regiment were accidentally killed through being buried by a fall of earth which was probably caused by rain and the vibration of earth, caused by Artillery fire. No blame can be attached to any one and after the accident was discovered everything possible was done. 21st Divisional Order G203 (Undercutting of trenches) was not received until after the accident.
The War Diary records: 5-7 May-17 - Disposition as before. Quiet days.
On Saturday June 30th 1917, The Leicester Mail published the following article under the heading. “LOCAL CASUALTIES.” – HINCKLEY DISTRICT CASUALTIES. Private Sidney Brown, Leicester’s, of Workhouse Row, Sapcote, has been killed. Before enlisting he was employed by Messrs. Patrick and Co., Earl Shilton.