War Office, Alexandra House, Kingsway
London WC
31 December 1916
The Secretary of the War Office requests that you will be good enough to cause enquiries to be made in the following case: 2/Lt J C Brown Constable, 14/The London Regiment, reported wounded and missing 1/7/16.
An unofficial report has been received that the above-named officer was hit by a piece of shell and killed, and the body placed in a shell hole by the informant. The informant is 6546 Pte G Robertson, last reported 21/12/16 Queen Alexandra Military Hospital. If he is still in this country, it is requested that he may be examined on his statement by you or the Officer Commanding the hospital. You should satisfy yourself that the evidence is reliable and report the result hereon direct to this Office. Special attention should be paid to (1) the identity of the officer concerning whom the evidence is given, (2) the date (and place if necessary) of the event, and (3) in case of death the exact reason for the belief of the informant that the officer is dead.
The Officer Commanding The Administrative Centre, 14th The London Regiment (London Scottish), 59 Buckingham Gate, SW.
I hereby certify that I saw 2/Lt J C Brown Constable struck by a piece of shrapnel on the right side of the forehead and I placed him in a shell hole where he died. The aforementioned took place at Gommecourt Wood on the 1st July 1916.
No 6546 George Robertson
