Family Search: Private Walter Edward Brown was born on 30 August 1881, in Shoreditch, Somerset, England, United Kingdom. He had at least 3 sons and 3 daughters with Robina Ballantyne. He immigrated to Canada in 1913 and lived in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada in 1931. He registered for military service in 1916. In 1931, at the age of 50, his occupation is listed as carpenter in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. He died on 23 November 1954, in Chatham, Kent, Ontario, Canada, at the age of 73, and was buried in Trinity Anglican Church Cemetery, Morpeth, Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada.
Wounded by enemy shell bursting on road. 21 August 1917.
Death Claims Ridgetown Man
RIDGETOWN—Walter E. Brown, one of Ridgetown’s best known residents, died Tuesday in Public General Hospital, Chatham, following a short illness.
Born in London, Eng., 75 years ago, he came to Canada at the age of 13. He worked on the farm until his marriage in 1905 to the former Robina Ballantyne and they took up homesteading in Estevan, Saskatchewan. Later they returned to Howard Township and farmed in the Beechwood and New Scotland districts.
In 1914, Mr. Brown enlisted with the 186th Battalion, D Company, and served overseas. He was returned home an invalid, the first Ridgetown soldier to be invalided home during World War I.
Mr. Brown opened up a shoe repair shop in Ridgetown in 1919 and operated a successful business until his retirement three years ago. He took an active part in the affairs of the Church of the Advent (Anglican) and was a member of the choir for a number of years. He was also a member of the Men’s Club of the church. He was a charter member of the Ridgetown Branch of the Canadian Legion.
Surviving besides his widow, are one son, Douglas of Ridgetown, three daughters, Mrs. Kenneth Berkaw (Bella) of Long Branch, Calif.; Mrs. Richard Powell (Ida), Montreal, and Mrs. William Perrin (Dorothy) of Beamsville, and one brother, William Fitchett of Corpus Christi, Texas.
The body will be at the McKellar and McIntyre Funeral Home, Ridgetown, until Thursday morning, when it will be taken to the Church of the Advent. Services will be held at 1 p.m., conducted by the Rev. Canon J. H. Smith, rector of the church.
Burial will be in the family plot in Trinity Cemetery, Howard Township.
The Windsor Star. 24 November 1954. Page 4.
Material created by Quentin de Givenchy and posted here with permission. Original post made at 18th Battalion Facebook Group.
History of the 18th Battalion CEF, "The Fighting Eighteenth" 
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