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73741 17th Battalion, Machine Gun Corps
Isaac William Braybrook, known as William was born in Sudbury around 1892, the son of William Henry and Maria Braybrook. The family lived at 8 Prince Street and his father was employed at one time as a cocoa mat maker and later as a brickmaker’s labourer.
By 1911 William was living and working as a boot assistant at 13 Market Square, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. He had moved to Leamington when he enlisted on 25 September 1914 and served with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment (formerly 514) before transferring to the Machine Gun Corps. His service records describe him as 5ft 7½ ins in height, with a 35 inch chest and weighing 131lbs. The Machine Gun Corps was formed on 22 October 1915 in response to the need for a more effective use of machine guns on the western front.
William first served in France on 21 November 1915. He was injured in September 1916 and sent back to England with a shell wound to his scalp to the 2nd Western General Hospital in Manchester until 14 October 1916.
In March 1918 the Germans launched their Spring Offensive. Operation Michael was a vast attack along the whole Somme sector front with the aim to destroy the British Army. The Germans advanced quickly and deeply with heavy losses for the Allies.
William died aged 26 on 21st March 1918. There is no known grave and he is remembered on the Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. He was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
A Cross of Remembrance was laid at the Arras Memorial in March 2007 and October 2011. He is also remembered on Baptist Church Memorial in Church Street.
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