Hartley Oliver Brown 1898 - 1971

Hartley Brown joined the Mercantile Marine Reserve and served on HMS GAZELLE. Before the war HMS GAZELLE was a Channel Islands mail and passenger steamer. She was requisitioned in 1914 and served as a British auxiliary minesweeper operating in the Mediterranean for most of the war.

The 1915 Crew List online gives an insight into his war service as well as that of some other Mersea men.
1915: listed in crew of Royal Fleet Auxliary MERCEDES; Official number: 114846. H C Brown; Ordinary Seaman; age, 18; place of birth, Tollesbury, Essex; previous ship, ZAREFAH of Southampton, discharged 1914.
Also listed from West Mersea are:
F E Mussett; Able Seaman; age, 30; place of birth, West Mersea, Essex; previous ship, Yawl L'ESPRANCE [sic] of Brightlingsea. [L'ESPERANCE ?]
W J Hempstead; Able Seaman; age, 25; place of birth, West Mersea, Essex; previous ship, Yawl OLGA of Tollesbury.
A O Hempstead; Able Seaman; age, 28; place of birth, West Mersea, Essex; previous ship, Yawl ARTEMIS of Brightlingsea.
D Appleby; Able Seaman; age, 19; place of birth, West Mersea, Essex; previous ship, S.Y. ORIANA of Brightlingsea.

After the war Hartley stayed at sea. Absent Voters lists 1918-21 show him as 2nd Officer with P&O. A Merchant Seaman's Record Card shows him on the yacht TUSCARORA June 1930 and he is also on a photo on TUSCARORA in March 1931. See DBN_OPA_105 .

Hartley married Hilda STOKER in 1924. They had two daughters, Eileen in 1928 and Dorothy in 1932. Hartley died in 1971 age 73.

For more on Hartley and his family see Mersea Browns in WW1 (new window).
Date: 1917