Details are sketchy. This man was a writer, born in the Hauts de Seine district of Paris on 3rd July 1884, to Ernest and Helene Brunnarius. He married Maude Suse Sloper, (born 1886 in Paris) in the West Ham District during April-June 1914. They had one child; Guy J Brunnarius born 1915 died 1968.
1911: Maude, living on private means, is shown as visiting her Hackney born aunt Suse Sloper (unmarried), at “The Ferns” (later 82) Gordon Road, South Woodford. Suse died on 6th November 1933. On 5th November 1940, Maude, a 54 year old widow, then residing at 82 Gordon Road, South Woodford, died at Horton General Hospital Banbury, Oxfordshire.
There are no other UK records for either Maude Sloper or Marcel Brunnarius. There are no recorded UK war deaths, military or civilian, for Brunnarius. However, there is a single record for a person of that name killed with French Forces. Given the French connection of Sloper, and their child Guy, the records clearly suggest he is the one commemorated on this memorial at Woodford.
He is also commemorated on the Memorial to Writers killed during this war which is housed at the Pantheon in Paris.
Within the Index to French War Dead, Sous Lieutenant Marcel Gustave Brunnarius is recorded as giving his life for France this day at Fleury during the Battle of Verdun, his death being due to enemy action. On this very hot Tuesday the Germans mounted a large scale attack at 06.00, attempting to break through the French positions. However due to the organisational skills of French officers in the line (as opposed to Headquarters) supported by artillery, the situation was recovered and the German attack was not successful.
It can only be assumed that his wife Maude or her aunt Suse attended the Woodford Union Church during and just after the Great War, and it was they who arranged for his name to be added to the memorial.
Research by Adrian Lee, Local Historian
Sources:
Ancestry.com
FindmyPast.co.uk
French War Dead Index