War hero Thomas Brown has been remembered by friends and family at an event to commemorate 75 years since his heroic actions helped shorten the Second World War.
More than 70 people, including many of Thomas’s surviving siblings and family, spent Saturday afternoon at The Exchange, on Howard Street, North Shields, as their ‘Thomas Brown Room’ and window memorial were rededicated to one of the town’s most famous sons.
Thomas was just a 16-year-old canteen assistant when, on October 30 1942, he boarded a sinking U-boat with fellow members of HMS Petard and retrieved Engima codes which helped break German codes and shorten the war by around two years.
Thomas was the only one of the three to survive and was given the George Medal for his bravery.
The newly-redecorated room – complete with photographs, news articles and mementoes relating to Thomas and his heroics – was reopened by Norman’s younger brother Norman, 89, and his great-nephew Thomas, named after great-uncle.
Norman said: “It has been a fantastic day. It is so important that the window and the room itself are there as memorials to my brother.
“People who come by to The Exchange will be able to read about what he did – people who may not even have known it was there before.
“There are some great photos on the wall and news articles, too. It is as good a memorial to my brother as you could get. It is just a shame he is not here to see it.”
At the event, which took place two days before Monday’s 75th anniversary, speakers dictated war poems and readings, Norman regaled memories of his brother, and an afternoon tea and the Darling Dollies singers provided 1940s-style entertainment.
The room and window were originally installed at The Exchange in 2002 to honour Thomas, who tragically died in a house fire aged just 19 in 1945.
The Exchange building, which until 2015 was a restaurant, was reopened in 2016 and relaunched as a cultural arts venue with charitable status.
It has since played host to hundreds of musicians, theatre productions, art exhibitions and charity events to name but a few, and it is hoped the Thomas Brown Room will attract people from across the region wanting to find out about the North East’s own war hero.
Toby Bridges, chair of The Exchange, said: “We understand how important heritage is to the community in North Shields. We want to bring the community together and this is a way for us to do that.
“Thomas Brown is a big part of North Shields history and we at The Exchange are so proud to be able to have an exhibition and window memorial to honour his life and what he achieved.
“The event was a result of lots of hard work from our team of staff and volunteers, who should be so proud of what they have achieved.”
MP for the Tynemouth constituency Alan Campbell, who was also present on Sunday, said: “Thomas Brown was a remarkable young man. His story is one of extraordinary courage in retrieving the Enigma codes which helped end the war.
“This event and the exhibition are an important reminder of him and what he did. I’d like to thank The Exchange for what they have done to keep his memory alive and bring the community together today.”
For more information on The Exchange, including forthcoming acts and volunteering opportunities, head to http://www.attheexchange.info/.