Albert Chowne
Encyclopedia
Albert Chowne VC
, MM
(19 July 1920 – 25 March 1945) was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to Commonwealth
forces.
and Naremburn Junior Technical School.
In 1935, he began work as a shirt-cutter with David Jones
. In his spare time Chowne played rugby union
and tennis
, and took part in Scouting
.
unit, before enlisting in the Australian Imperial Force
in late May 1940. He was assigned to the 2/13th Battalion as a platoon
message runner (and was later made company
runner. The unit, part of the 9th Division arrived in the Middle East in November 1940 and later joined the North African campaign
, defending Tobruk for eight months in 1941. During his time at Tobruk, Chowne transferred to the carrier platoon and was promoted to Corporal
. After Tobruk the 2/13th performed garrison duties in Syria where, in September, Chowne was promoted to Sergeant
. He was wounded in the leg and hand at El Alamein
the following month and spent three weeks in hospital. He returned to Australia with the battalion in January 1943.
In July, the unit was deployed to New Guinea campaign
, taking part in the Battle of Finschhafen
. Chowne, now commanding a mortar platoon, was awarded the Military Medal
for twice crawling close to enemy positions to direct mortar fire. Regarded as exceptionally cool by his comrades, Chowne combined fearlessness with a self-effacing manner.
He was commissioned as a Lieutenant
in January 1944 and he married Daphne Barton, a Corporal in the Australian Women's Army Service
, in March that year. Having completed the jungle warfare training course at Canungra, Queensland
, Chowne was posted to the 2/2nd Battalion, part of the 6th Division, in October 1944.
The 2/2nd was sent to the Aitape-Wewak campaign
in New Guinea, two months later.
. Seeing that the leading platoon was suffering heavy casualties, Chowne rushed forward and knocked out two light machine guns with grenades and then, calling on his men to follow him and firing his sub machine gun from the hip, he charged the position. Although he was twice wounded in the chest, the impetus of his charge carried him forward 50 yards under intense machine gun and rifle fire and he accounted for two more of the enemy before he was killed.
Chowne was awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously and was buried at the Lae War Cemetery
, Lae
, New Guinea. A street in Campbell
, Canberra
is named after him as is Albert Chowne Memorial Hall, a community facility in Willoughby
, Sydney. His VC is displayed at the Australian War Memorial
.
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, MM
Military Medal
The Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....
(19 July 1920 – 25 March 1945) was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces.
Early life
Chowne was born in Sydney. He attended Chatswood Boys Intermediate High SchoolChatswood High School
Chatswood High School is a public, co-educational, semi-selective high school, located in Chatswood, a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
and Naremburn Junior Technical School.
In 1935, he began work as a shirt-cutter with David Jones
David Jones Limited
David Jones Limited , colloquially known as DJs, is a high-end Australian department store chain.David Jones was founded in 1838 by David Jones, a Welsh immigrant, and is claimed to be the oldest continuously operating department store in the world still trading under its original name. It...
. In his spare time Chowne played rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
and tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, and took part in Scouting
Scouts Australia
Scouts Australia is an organisation for children and young adults from 6 to 26 years of age. Scouts Australia is part of the global Scouting movement and has been a national member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement since 1953...
.
World War II
Chowne spent a brief period in the 36th Battalion, a MilitiaAustralian Army Reserve
The Australian Army Reserve is a collective name given to the reserve units of the Australian Army. Since the Federation of Australia in 1901, the reserve military force has been known by many names, including the Citizens Forces, the Citizen Military Forces, the Militia and, unofficially, the...
unit, before enlisting in the Australian Imperial Force
Australian Imperial Force
The Australian Imperial Force was the name given to all-volunteer Australian Army forces dispatched to fight overseas during World War I and World War II.* First Australian Imperial Force * Second Australian Imperial Force...
in late May 1940. He was assigned to the 2/13th Battalion as a platoon
Platoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the...
message runner (and was later made company
Company (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
runner. The unit, part of the 9th Division arrived in the Middle East in November 1940 and later joined the North African campaign
North African campaign
During the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
, defending Tobruk for eight months in 1941. During his time at Tobruk, Chowne transferred to the carrier platoon and was promoted to Corporal
Corporal
Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-4....
. After Tobruk the 2/13th performed garrison duties in Syria where, in September, Chowne was promoted to Sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
. He was wounded in the leg and hand at El Alamein
El Alamein
El Alamein is a town in the northern Matrouh Governorate of Egypt. Located on the Mediterranean Sea, it lies west of Alexandria and northwest of Cairo. As of 2007, it has a local population of 7,397 inhabitants.- Climate :...
the following month and spent three weeks in hospital. He returned to Australia with the battalion in January 1943.
In July, the unit was deployed to New Guinea campaign
New Guinea campaign
The New Guinea campaign was one of the major military campaigns of World War II.Before the war, the island of New Guinea was split between:...
, taking part in the Battle of Finschhafen
Battle of Finschhafen
The Battle of Finschhafen was part of the Huon Peninsula campaign during the Second World War between September and October 1943 between Australian and Japanese forces...
. Chowne, now commanding a mortar platoon, was awarded the Military Medal
Military Medal
The Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....
for twice crawling close to enemy positions to direct mortar fire. Regarded as exceptionally cool by his comrades, Chowne combined fearlessness with a self-effacing manner.
He was commissioned as a Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in January 1944 and he married Daphne Barton, a Corporal in the Australian Women's Army Service
Australian Women's Army Service
The Australian Women's Army Service or "AWAS" was a women's service established on 13 August 1941 to "release men from certain military duties for employment in fighting units".-Formation / Structure:...
, in March that year. Having completed the jungle warfare training course at Canungra, Queensland
Canungra, Queensland
Canungra is a small picturesque rural township in South East Queensland, Australia. Its economy depends on tourism, being a popular destination for short drives from the Gold Coast and Brisbane. Canungra, also called the "Valley of the Owls", is situated in the Gold Coast Hinterland, west of the...
, Chowne was posted to the 2/2nd Battalion, part of the 6th Division, in October 1944.
The 2/2nd was sent to the Aitape-Wewak campaign
Aitape-Wewak campaign
The Aitape–Wewak campaign was one of the final campaigns of the Pacific Theatre of World War II. Between November 1944 and the end of the war in August 1945, the Australian 6th Division, with air and naval support, fought the Imperial Japanese 18th Army in northern New Guinea...
in New Guinea, two months later.
Victoria Cross action
On 25 March 1945 near Dagua, Chowne attacked an enemy position which was holding up further movement towards WewakWewak
Wewak is the capital of the East Sepik province of Papua New Guinea. It is located on the northern coast of the island of New Guinea. It is the largest town between Madang and Jayapura. It is the see city of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wewak....
. Seeing that the leading platoon was suffering heavy casualties, Chowne rushed forward and knocked out two light machine guns with grenades and then, calling on his men to follow him and firing his sub machine gun from the hip, he charged the position. Although he was twice wounded in the chest, the impetus of his charge carried him forward 50 yards under intense machine gun and rifle fire and he accounted for two more of the enemy before he was killed.
Chowne was awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously and was buried at the Lae War Cemetery
Lae War Cemetery
The Lae War Cemetery, established in 1944, is located adjacent to the Botanical Gardens in the centre of the city of Lae, the capital of Morobe Province, in Papua New Guinea...
, Lae
Lae
Lae, the capital of Morobe Province, is the second-largest city in Papua New Guinea. It is located at the start of the Highlands Highway which is the main land transport corridor from the Highlands region to the coast...
, New Guinea. A street in Campbell
Campbell, Australian Capital Territory
Campbell is a suburb of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia. Covering an area to the South East of the central business district, Campbell sits at the base of Mount Ainslie. On Census night 2006, Campbell had a population of 4,797 people...
, Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
is named after him as is Albert Chowne Memorial Hall, a community facility in Willoughby
Willoughby, New South Wales
Willoughby is a suburb on the lower North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Willoughby is located 8 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Willoughby....
, Sydney. His VC is displayed at the Australian War Memorial
Australian War Memorial
The Australian War Memorial is Australia's national memorial to the members of all its armed forces and supporting organisations who have died or participated in the wars of the Commonwealth of Australia...
.
External links
- "Lieutenant Albert Chowne, VC, MM", Australian War Memorial