BRAZIER Edward Sidney John

Bromsgrove Weekly Messenger, Saturday 20th May 1944:
BROMSGROVE OFFICER KILLED IN BURMA
MEMBER OF WELL KNOWN FAMILY
SCOUTMASTER AND SPORTSMAN
News was received on Wednesday evening that Lt. Edward Sydney John Brazier (27), Charford Cottage, Bromsgrove, elder son of Mr and Mrs S.J. Brazier, Breakback, Bromsgrove, had been killed in action in Burma. Lieut. Brazier was a popular member of a well known family and deep sympathy is felt in the town for his wife and parents. He volunteered for the Army and joined the R.A.M.C. as a Private in July 1940. Later he gained his commission and was posted to a Midlands regiment, with whom he went to India in April, 1942. This month the unit has been engaged in fighting on the Burma front and, although trained as Signals Officer, Lt. Brazier asked to be allowed to return to the leadership of his platoon when hostilities became imminent.

Lt. Brazier was born in Yorkshire during the last war when his father was an officer in the West Yorks Regt. He was educated at Aymestry Preparatory School, near Worcester, and Bromsgrove School (1930-1935), where he did particularly well. He was made a Monitor of School House in 1932, School Monitor in 1934, and was Head Monitor in his last year. He played in all the school teams, being Vice-Captain of Cricket 1935, and was C.S.M. of the O.T.C. 1934-35, after being Band Sergeant. Upon leaving Bromsgrove he went to Ashridge College for Political Economy, and later spent two years at the Birmingham School of Architecture. Subsequently he joined the family business in the building trade and became a manager.

He joined the Town Cricket and Rugby football clubs, and was as well liked among his fellow players there as in his other activities. Notably among these was the “Evergreen” Boy Scout Troop, where he served as Scoutmaster and went with the Troop on their Continental trips. He was also a sidesman at the Parish Church.

In November, 1939, Lt. Brazier was married at St. Stephen’s, Redditch, to Miss Monica Bradley, elder daughter of the vicar, the Rev. L. Bradley. The young couple lived first at Shepley and later moved to Charford. A son was born in 1941. The report includes a photograph of Edward Brazier.

Lieutenant E.S.J. Brazier of Charford Cottage, Bromsgrove appears on a list of men from the Bromsgrove District killed in the 1939 – 1945 war, provided by the Reverend C.W. Banner, “Tuffley”, 19 Stourbridge Road, Bromsgrove, dated 29th June 1950.