Raymond Brownell
Encyclopedia
Air Commodore
Raymond James Brownell CBE
, MC
, MM
(17 May 1894 – 12 April 1974) was a senior officer in the Royal Australian Air Force
(RAAF) and a First World War flying ace
. Born in Hobart
, Tasmania
, Brownell was working as a clerk with a firm of accountants when he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force
on the outbreak of the First World War. He served during the Gallipoli Campaign before transferring to the Western Front
. Awarded the Military Medal
for his actions during the Battle of Pozières
, he was accepted for a transfer to the Royal Flying Corps
in 1917. Brownell undertook flight training in the United Kingdom
. Commissioned
as a second lieutenant
, he was posted for operational service over the Western Front in September 1917. Moving with his squadron to Italy
, he was awarded the Military Cross
and credited with shooting down 12 aircraft by war's end. Taking his discharge in 1919, Brownell returned to Australia.
Commissioned in the Royal Australian Air Force during 1921, Brownell had risen to the rank of group captain
by the beginning of the Second World War. Establishing the Royal Australian Air Force base in Singapore
, he returned to Australia in 1941 as an air commodore and was appointed to lead No. 1 Training Group. He was Air Officer Commanding
Western Area from January 1943 until July 1945, when he took charge of the recently formed No. 11 Group
on Morotai
. Retiring from the Air Force in 1947, Brownell assumed a partnership in a stockbroking firm. He died in 1974 at the age of 79; his autobiography, From Khaki to Blue, was published posthumously.
, Tasmania, on 17 May 1894 to William Percival Brownell, a draper
, and his wife Julie Ann James (née Scott). Initially educated at Leslie House School, Brownell later attended Scotch College, Melbourne
where he was an active sportsman. On graduation, he was apprenticed to a firm of public accountants and auditors in Hobart. During 1912, Brownell enlisted in the Citizens Military Force and was posted to the 41st Battery, Australian Field Artillery
.
, Brownell embarked from Hobart aboard HMAT Geelong on 20 October, bound for Egypt
. On arrival, the unit spent several months training in the desert, before it was posted for service during the Gallipoli Campaign. Instead of landing on the peninsula
with the battery, Brownell was transferred to Alexandria where the Army required his administrative abilities as an accountant.
During July 1915, Brownell was shipped to Gallipoli and rejoined the 9th Battery. Promoted to bombardier
on 12 November, he was among one of the final Australian waves to be evacuated from the peninsula in December during the Allied
withdrawal. Returning to Egypt, he was advanced to provisional sergeant
on 24 February 1916. Embarking with his unit from Alexandria, Brownell arrived in France
for service on the Western Front on 29 March, following a six-day voyage.
On 21–22 July 1916, Brownell was in action with his battery at Pozières
, during which the unit was subject to severe German shellfire. Throughout the engagement, Brownell established and maintained communications between the battery and firing line, despite fatigue or personal risk to himself. Commended for his "particularly meritorious service ... and ... gallantry in this work", Brownell was subsequently recommended for the Military Medal. The notification for the award was published in a supplement to the London Gazette
on 16 November 1916.
and was posted to No. 3 School of Military Aeronautics at Exeter College, Oxford
from 26 January. On graduating from the course, Brownell was discharged from the Australian Imperial Force on 16 March and commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Royal Flying Corps the following day.
Allotted to No. 45 Squadron RFC
flying Sopwith Camel
s, Brownell moved to France for operational service over the Western Front during September 1917. On 10 September, he took part in his first patrol, during which he shot down a two-seater German aircraft. In his time flying over the Western Front, Brownell accumulated a total of five victories and achieved 'ace' status before his squadron was transferred to Italy
during December. Later that month, Brownell and his observer, Lieutenant Henry Moody, shot down German ace Alwin Thurm over Asolo
.
Appointed a flight commander in No. 45 Squadron, Brownell was promoted to temporary captain on 11 February 1918. During aerial engagements against Central
aircraft over the Italian front, he was accredited with the destruction of a further seven aircraft, bringing his total to 12 with an additional nine probables. Brownell's aerial victories were composed of five aircraft and one shared destroyed, two and one shared out of control, one shared captured, and one balloon
. For his success in bringing six of these aircraft down over a three-month period, Brownell was consequently awarded the Military Cross. The announcement of the decoration was published in a supplement of the London Gazette on 4 March 1918, with the citation for the award being published in a later issue on 16 August 1918, reading:
During April 1918, Brownell was granted compassionate leave to visit his seriously ill mother. Leaving No. 45 Squadron, he travelled to Tasmania. At the end of his leave in September, he commenced his return journey to the United Kingdom. During the voyage, he became grievously ill with pneumonic
influenza
. On arrival, Brownell accepted a commission in the newly formed Royal Air Force
. However, Brownell's mother again suffered a deterioration in health, so he sought to resign from the Royal Air Force and was placed on the unemployed list on 14 August 1919. Embarking for Tasmania, he arrived during September.
, and later with the Hobart City Council as a clerk. On 22 April 1920, Brownell acted as one of the pallbearer
s at the military funeral of his friend and fellow No. 45 Squadron officer, Captain Cedric Howell
, who had been killed in an aeroplane crash while participating in the England to Australia air race
. Seeking a position in the newly formed Royal Australian Air Force, Brownell was commissioned as a flying officer
on 12 September 1921 and posted to RAAF Point Cook
in Victoria
, training Air Force cadets. In a ceremony at St Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Hobart, on 26 August 1925, Brownell married Rhyllis Jean Birchall; the couple would later have two daughters. The following year, Brownell assumed command of No. 1 Squadron
. He led the squadron until 1928, when he was appointed to the Royal Australian Air Force Headquarters in Melbourne
as Director of Personnel Services.
During 1934, Brownell was posted to England for exchange service with the Royal Air Force. Made second-in-command of No. 3 Flying Training School at Grantham, he was promoted to wing commander
on 1 April 1936. While still serving in the United Kingdom, Brownell was appointed commanding officer of No. 23 (City of Perth) Squadron
(later No. 25 Squadron), which had been formed earlier in 1937. The squadron moved to RAAF Base Pearce
in Western Australia
during March 1938, at which time Brownell returned to Australia and assumed command of the unit along with the base. Brownell was the first Commanding Officer of Pearce, which was not only the first RAAF establishment to be located in Western Australia, but also the first permanent air force unit to be established in the state.
On the outbreak of the Second World War, additional units were placed under Brownell's purview at RAAF Base Pearce and he was consequently promoted to temporary group captain in December 1939. With the introduction of Lockheed Hudson
aircraft to the Royal Australian Air Force in February 1940, several units were re-equipped, including No. 14 Squadron
at RAAF Base Pearce. The Hudsons replaced the squadron's Avro Anson
s, which were to be ferried back to the eastern coast of Australia in order to be used as training aircraft. On one occasion, Brownell took part in ferrying an Anson to RAAF Point Cook with No. 14 Squadron pilot Charles Learmonth. Arriving with the aircraft, the pair piloted a de Havilland Moth Minor—a two-seated, open-cockpit, monoplane—back to Pearce. The return journey took Brownell and Learmonth seven days to complete, and involved a total of twenty-one refuelling stops along the way.
During August 1940, Brownell was ordered to Singapore in order to establish and command an RAAF station on the island, as well as administer the RAAF squadrons located in Malaya. Embarking aboard the SS Strathallan in mid-August, Brownell and his staff formed the RAAF station within two weeks of arrival at Sembawang
. Under the control of RAF Far East Command, the station was established as RAF Sembawang. During this time, Brownell frequently visited the Malaya peninsula.
Promoted to acting air commodore, Brownell returned to Australia during August 1941 and was appointed Air Officer Commanding No. 1 Training Group in Melbourne. With this position, Brownell was in command of approximately thirty establishments located in southern Australia. On 1 January 1943, he was posted as Air Officer Commanding Western Area. Based at RAAF Base Pearce, Brownell's responsibilities involved coordinating training and directing long-range bombing operations. Following intelligence reports that a Japanese force was en-route to raid Western Australia, the Australian Government ordered a build-up to defences in the area. In response to this, Brownell organised air defences around Perth
and the Exmouth Gulf
during March 1944. With the use of Army transports, he also reinforced Cunderdin
with supplies and bombs for the use of the heavy bombers in the area. The attack from the Japanese, however, did not occur. For his service as Air Officer Commanding Western Area, Brownell was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1945 New Years Honours.
Relinquishing command of Western Area in July 1945, Brownell was appointed commander of the recently formed No. 11 Group
. No. 11 Group was established as a static organisation that was to take administrative control of all RAAF units based on Morotai
. The group assumed its role on 30 July, and had the initial jurisdiction of all Dutch territory in the area, along with British North Borneo and Sarawak
. In addition to this, the unit held the three main responsibilities of local air defence and sea lane protection, support of adjacent formations and offensive operations against Japanese targets within range, as well as line-of-communication duties. The unit, however, was formed too late in the war to assume all of its responsibilities before the Second World War drew to an end. Brownell was present at the Japanese surrenders in Manila
, Tokyo
, and on Morotai. He was selected by the Australian government to attend the ceremony aboard the USS Missouri
on 2 September 1945, but was replaced by the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal George Jones
, when Jones became available to make the trip to Japan.
on 3 January 1947, where he was presented with his Commander of the Order of the British Empire by the Lieutenant-Governor of Western Australia
. On 24 March that year, Brownell retired from the Royal Australian Air Force on medical grounds. He had in any case been slated for early retirement, along with a number of other senior officers and veterans of the First World War, to make way for the advancement of younger and equally capable officers.
Following his retirement from the Air Force, Brownell was made a partner of S. G. Brearley & Co., a stockbroking firm located in Perth. In 1951, he was made chairman of the associated sporting committee of the National Fitness Council of Western Australia; he served in this role until 1967. Aged 79, Brownell died at Subiaco, Western Australia
, on 12 April 1974 and was accorded a funeral with full Air Force honours. Brownell's autobiography, From Khaki to Blue, was posthumously published by the Military Historical Society of Australia in 1978.
Air Commodore
Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Raymond James Brownell CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
, 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....
(17 May 1894 – 12 April 1974) was a senior officer in the Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
(RAAF) and a First World War flying ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
. Born in Hobart
Hobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
, Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
, Brownell was working as a clerk with a firm of accountants when he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force
First Australian Imperial Force
The First Australian Imperial Force was the main expeditionary force of the Australian Army during World War I. It was formed from 15 August 1914, following Britain's declaration of war on Germany. Generally known at the time as the AIF, it is today referred to as the 1st AIF to distinguish from...
on the outbreak of the First World War. He served during the Gallipoli Campaign before transferring to the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
. 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 his actions during the Battle of Pozières
Battle of Pozières
The Battle of Pozières was a two week struggle for the French village of Pozières and the ridge on which it stands, during the middle stages of the 1916 Battle of the Somme. Though British divisions were involved in most phases of the fighting, Pozières is primarily remembered as an Australian battle...
, he was accepted for a transfer to the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
in 1917. Brownell undertook flight training in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Commissioned
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
as a second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
, he was posted for operational service over the Western Front in September 1917. Moving with his squadron to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, he was awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
and credited with shooting down 12 aircraft by war's end. Taking his discharge in 1919, Brownell returned to Australia.
Commissioned in the Royal Australian Air Force during 1921, Brownell had risen to the rank of group captain
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
by the beginning of the Second World War. Establishing the Royal Australian Air Force base in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, he returned to Australia in 1941 as an air commodore and was appointed to lead No. 1 Training Group. He was Air Officer Commanding
Air Officer Commanding
Air Officer Commanding is a title given in the air forces of Commonwealth nations to an air officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, an air vice marshal might be the AOC 38 Group...
Western Area from January 1943 until July 1945, when he took charge of the recently formed No. 11 Group
No. 11 Group RAAF
No. 11 Group was a Royal Australian Air Force group formed at Morotai in the last weeks of World War II to command the RAAF's garrison units in the region. The group was established at the end of July 1945, but was not yet fully active when the war ended on 14 August. It remained active at Morotai...
on Morotai
Morotai
Morotai Island Regency is a regency of North Maluku province, Indonesia, located on Morotai Island. The population was 54,876 in 2007.-History:...
. Retiring from the Air Force in 1947, Brownell assumed a partnership in a stockbroking firm. He died in 1974 at the age of 79; his autobiography, From Khaki to Blue, was published posthumously.
Early life
Brownell was born in the Hobart suburb of New TownNew Town, Tasmania
New Town is a suburb of the city of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, located about 4 km north of the central business district of Hobart. One of the city's oldest suburbs, it is now an inner city residential suburb. Many of its streets are lined with Federation style cottages...
, Tasmania, on 17 May 1894 to William Percival Brownell, a draper
Draper
Draper is the now largely obsolete term for a wholesaler, or especially retailer, of cloth, mainly for clothing, or one who works in a draper's shop. A draper may additionally operate as a cloth merchant or a haberdasher. The drapers were an important trade guild...
, and his wife Julie Ann James (née Scott). Initially educated at Leslie House School, Brownell later attended Scotch College, Melbourne
Scotch College, Melbourne
Scotch College, Melbourne is an independent, Presbyterian, day and boarding school for boys, located in Hawthorn, an inner-eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
where he was an active sportsman. On graduation, he was apprenticed to a firm of public accountants and auditors in Hobart. During 1912, Brownell enlisted in the Citizens Military Force and was posted to the 41st Battery, Australian Field Artillery
Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery, normally referred to as the Royal Australian Artillery , is a corps of the Australian Army descended from the original colonial artillery units prior to Australia's federation...
.
Australian Imperial Force
On 12 September 1914, Brownell transferred to the Australian Imperial Force for service during the First World War. Allotted to the 9th Battery, 3rd Field Artillery Brigade with the rank of gunnerGunner (rank)
Gunner is a rank equivalent to Private in the British Army Royal Artillery and the artillery corps of other Commonwealth armies. The next highest rank is usually Lance-Bombardier, although in the Royal Canadian Artillery it is Bombardier....
, Brownell embarked from Hobart aboard HMAT Geelong on 20 October, bound for Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. On arrival, the unit spent several months training in the desert, before it was posted for service during the Gallipoli Campaign. Instead of landing on the peninsula
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
with the battery, Brownell was transferred to Alexandria where the Army required his administrative abilities as an accountant.
During July 1915, Brownell was shipped to Gallipoli and rejoined the 9th Battery. Promoted to bombardier
Bombardier (rank)
Bombardier is a rank used in artillery units in the armies of Commonwealth countries instead of corporal. Lance-bombardier is used instead of lance-corporal....
on 12 November, he was among one of the final Australian waves to be evacuated from the peninsula in December during the Allied
Allies of World War I
The Entente Powers were the countries at war with the Central Powers during World War I. The members of the Triple Entente were the United Kingdom, France, and the Russian Empire; Italy entered the war on their side in 1915...
withdrawal. Returning to Egypt, he was advanced to provisional 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....
on 24 February 1916. Embarking with his unit from Alexandria, Brownell arrived in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
for service on the Western Front on 29 March, following a six-day voyage.
Battle of Pozières
The Battle of Pozières was a two week struggle for the French village of Pozières and the ridge on which it stands, during the middle stages of the 1916 Battle of the Somme. Though British divisions were involved in most phases of the fighting, Pozières is primarily remembered as an Australian battle...
, during which the unit was subject to severe German shellfire. Throughout the engagement, Brownell established and maintained communications between the battery and firing line, despite fatigue or personal risk to himself. Commended for his "particularly meritorious service ... and ... gallantry in this work", Brownell was subsequently recommended for the Military Medal. The notification for the award was published in a supplement to the London Gazette
London Gazette
The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...
on 16 November 1916.
Royal Flying Corps
In October 1916, Brownell applied for a transfer to the Royal Flying Corps. One of 5,000 applicants, Brownell was accepted on 1 January 1917 along with a further 200 Australians. Posted for pilot training, he proceeding to EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and was posted to No. 3 School of Military Aeronautics at Exeter College, Oxford
Exeter College, Oxford
Exeter College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England and the fourth oldest college of the University. The main entrance is on the east side of Turl Street...
from 26 January. On graduating from the course, Brownell was discharged from the Australian Imperial Force on 16 March and commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Royal Flying Corps the following day.
Allotted to No. 45 Squadron RFC
No. 45 Squadron RAF
-First World War:Formed during World War I at Gosport on 1 March 1916 as Number 45 Squadron, the unit was first equipped with Sopwith 1½ Strutters which it was to fly in the Scout role. Deployed to France in October of that year, the Squadron found itself suffering heavy losses due to the quality...
flying Sopwith Camel
Sopwith Camel
The Sopwith Camel was a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter introduced on the Western Front in 1917. Manufactured by Sopwith Aviation Company, it had a short-coupled fuselage, heavy, powerful rotary engine, and concentrated fire from twin synchronized machine guns. Though difficult...
s, Brownell moved to France for operational service over the Western Front during September 1917. On 10 September, he took part in his first patrol, during which he shot down a two-seater German aircraft. In his time flying over the Western Front, Brownell accumulated a total of five victories and achieved 'ace' status before his squadron was transferred to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
during December. Later that month, Brownell and his observer, Lieutenant Henry Moody, shot down German ace Alwin Thurm over Asolo
Asolo
Asolo is a town and comune in the Veneto Region of Northern Italy. It is known as "The Pearl of the province of Treviso", and also as "The City of a Hundred Horizons" for its mountain settings.-History:...
.
Central Powers
The Central Powers were one of the two warring factions in World War I , composed of the German Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Bulgaria...
aircraft over the Italian front, he was accredited with the destruction of a further seven aircraft, bringing his total to 12 with an additional nine probables. Brownell's aerial victories were composed of five aircraft and one shared destroyed, two and one shared out of control, one shared captured, and one balloon
Observation balloon
Observation balloons are balloons that are employed as aerial platforms for intelligence gathering and artillery spotting. Their use began during the French Revolutionary Wars, reaching their zenith during World War I, and they continue in limited use today....
. For his success in bringing six of these aircraft down over a three-month period, Brownell was consequently awarded the Military Cross. The announcement of the decoration was published in a supplement of the London Gazette on 4 March 1918, with the citation for the award being published in a later issue on 16 August 1918, reading:
During April 1918, Brownell was granted compassionate leave to visit his seriously ill mother. Leaving No. 45 Squadron, he travelled to Tasmania. At the end of his leave in September, he commenced his return journey to the United Kingdom. During the voyage, he became grievously ill with pneumonic
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
influenza
Influenza
Influenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae , that affects birds and mammals...
. On arrival, Brownell accepted a commission in the newly formed Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
. However, Brownell's mother again suffered a deterioration in health, so he sought to resign from the Royal Air Force and was placed on the unemployed list on 14 August 1919. Embarking for Tasmania, he arrived during September.
Inter-war years
On his return to Australia, Brownell was employed as a sub-accountant for a firm of merchants in MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, and later with the Hobart City Council as a clerk. On 22 April 1920, Brownell acted as one of the pallbearer
Pallbearer
A pall-bearer is one of several funeral participants who helps carry the casket of a deceased person from a religious or memorial service or viewing either directly to a cemetery or mausoleum, or to and from the hearse which carries the coffin....
s at the military funeral of his friend and fellow No. 45 Squadron officer, Captain Cedric Howell
Cedric Howell
Cedric Ernest "Spike" Howell DSO, MC, DFC was an Australian fighter pilot and flying ace of the First World War. Born in Adelaide, South Australia, he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in 1916 for service in the First World War and was posted to the 46th Battalion on the Western Front...
, who had been killed in an aeroplane crash while participating in the England to Australia air race
England to Australia flight
In 1919 the Australian government offered a prize of £A10,000 for the first Australians in a British aircraft to fly from Great Britain to Australia. Of the six entries that started the race, the winners were two brothers and their two crew in a Vickers Vimy....
. Seeking a position in the newly formed Royal Australian Air Force, Brownell was commissioned as a flying officer
Flying Officer
Flying officer is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence...
on 12 September 1921 and posted to RAAF Point Cook
RAAF Williams
RAAF Williams comprises the two bases of Point Cook and Laverton. Both establishments previously existed as separate RAAF Bases until 1999 when they were amalgamated to form RAAF Williams...
in Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, training Air Force cadets. In a ceremony at St Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Hobart, on 26 August 1925, Brownell married Rhyllis Jean Birchall; the couple would later have two daughters. The following year, Brownell assumed command of No. 1 Squadron
No. 1 Squadron RAAF
No. 1 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force squadron based at RAAF Amberley. The squadron is currently being re-equipped with F/A-18F Super Hornet multi-role fighters.-World War I:...
. He led the squadron until 1928, when he was appointed to the Royal Australian Air Force Headquarters in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
as Director of Personnel Services.
During 1934, Brownell was posted to England for exchange service with the Royal Air Force. Made second-in-command of No. 3 Flying Training School at Grantham, he was promoted to wing commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
on 1 April 1936. While still serving in the United Kingdom, Brownell was appointed commanding officer of No. 23 (City of Perth) Squadron
No. 25 Squadron RAAF
No. 25 Squadron is a general reserve squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force. The squadron is based at RAAF Base Pearce in Perth, Western Australia and forms part of the Combat Reserve Wing. The squadron has been based at Pearce since 1938. 25 Squadron was originally formed at RAAF Base...
(later No. 25 Squadron), which had been formed earlier in 1937. The squadron moved to RAAF Base Pearce
RAAF Base Pearce
RAAF Base Pearce is the main RAAF base in Western Australia. The base is located in Bullsbrook, north of Perth. It is used for training by the Royal Australian Air Force and the Republic of Singapore Air Force...
in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
during March 1938, at which time Brownell returned to Australia and assumed command of the unit along with the base. Brownell was the first Commanding Officer of Pearce, which was not only the first RAAF establishment to be located in Western Australia, but also the first permanent air force unit to be established in the state.
Second World War
Lockheed Hudson
The Lockheed Hudson was an American-built light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built initially for the Royal Air Force shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and primarily operated by the RAF thereafter...
aircraft to the Royal Australian Air Force in February 1940, several units were re-equipped, including No. 14 Squadron
No. 14 Squadron RAAF
No. 14 Squadron was a Royal Australian Air Force maritime patrol squadron of World War II. The Squadron was based in Western Australia throughout the war and was disbanded in 1945.-Squadron history:...
at RAAF Base Pearce. The Hudsons replaced the squadron's Avro Anson
Avro Anson
The Avro Anson is a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and numerous other air forces prior to, during, and after the Second World War. Named for British Admiral George Anson, it was originally designed for maritime reconnaissance, but was...
s, which were to be ferried back to the eastern coast of Australia in order to be used as training aircraft. On one occasion, Brownell took part in ferrying an Anson to RAAF Point Cook with No. 14 Squadron pilot Charles Learmonth. Arriving with the aircraft, the pair piloted a de Havilland Moth Minor—a two-seated, open-cockpit, monoplane—back to Pearce. The return journey took Brownell and Learmonth seven days to complete, and involved a total of twenty-one refuelling stops along the way.
During August 1940, Brownell was ordered to Singapore in order to establish and command an RAAF station on the island, as well as administer the RAAF squadrons located in Malaya. Embarking aboard the SS Strathallan in mid-August, Brownell and his staff formed the RAAF station within two weeks of arrival at Sembawang
Sembawang
Sembawang is an area in the Northern-most portion of Singapore, encompassing the largest land mass within the Sembawang Group Representation Constituency. The incumbent Member of Parliament for the Sembawang Constituency is Khaw Boon Wan. The constituency jurisdiction extends into the Woodlands...
. Under the control of RAF Far East Command, the station was established as RAF Sembawang. During this time, Brownell frequently visited the Malaya peninsula.
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
and the Exmouth Gulf
Exmouth Gulf
Exmouth Gulf is a gulf in the north west of Western Australia. It lies between North West Cape and the main coastline of Western Australia. It is considered to be part of the region of the North West Shelf and in the Canning Basin area.-Environment:...
during March 1944. With the use of Army transports, he also reinforced Cunderdin
Cunderdin, Western Australia
Cunderdin is a town located in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia 156 km east of Perth, on Great Eastern Highway.- History :The first European visitor to the area was Charles Cooke Hunt, who explored the area in 1864 and recorded the name Cunderdin, from the Aboriginal name of a nearby...
with supplies and bombs for the use of the heavy bombers in the area. The attack from the Japanese, however, did not occur. For his service as Air Officer Commanding Western Area, Brownell was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1945 New Years Honours.
Relinquishing command of Western Area in July 1945, Brownell was appointed commander of the recently formed No. 11 Group
No. 11 Group RAAF
No. 11 Group was a Royal Australian Air Force group formed at Morotai in the last weeks of World War II to command the RAAF's garrison units in the region. The group was established at the end of July 1945, but was not yet fully active when the war ended on 14 August. It remained active at Morotai...
. No. 11 Group was established as a static organisation that was to take administrative control of all RAAF units based on Morotai
Morotai
Morotai Island Regency is a regency of North Maluku province, Indonesia, located on Morotai Island. The population was 54,876 in 2007.-History:...
. The group assumed its role on 30 July, and had the initial jurisdiction of all Dutch territory in the area, along with British North Borneo and Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
. In addition to this, the unit held the three main responsibilities of local air defence and sea lane protection, support of adjacent formations and offensive operations against Japanese targets within range, as well as line-of-communication duties. The unit, however, was formed too late in the war to assume all of its responsibilities before the Second World War drew to an end. Brownell was present at the Japanese surrenders in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, and on Morotai. He was selected by the Australian government to attend the ceremony aboard the USS Missouri
USS Missouri (BB-63)
|USS Missouri is a United States Navy Iowa-class battleship, and was the fourth ship of the U.S. Navy to be named in honor of the U.S. state of Missouri...
on 2 September 1945, but was replaced by the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal George Jones
George Jones (RAAF officer)
Air Marshal Sir George Jones KBE, CB, DFC was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force . He rose from private soldier in World War I to Air Marshal in 1948, and served as Chief of the Air Staff from 1942 to 1952, the longest continuous tenure of any RAAF chief...
, when Jones became available to make the trip to Japan.
Later life
Returning to Western Australia after the war, Brownell attended an investiture ceremony at Government House, PerthGovernment House, Perth
Government House in Perth is the official residence of the governor of Western Australia and was built between 1859 and 1864. The buildings and gardens are listed on the Western Australian Register of Heritage Places and are open to the public from time to time.-Description:The building is a two...
on 3 January 1947, where he was presented with his Commander of the Order of the British Empire by the Lieutenant-Governor of Western Australia
Governor of Western Australia
The Governor of Western Australia is the representative in Western Australia of Australia's Monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. The Governor performs important constitutional, ceremonial and community functions, including:* presiding over the Executive Council;...
. On 24 March that year, Brownell retired from the Royal Australian Air Force on medical grounds. He had in any case been slated for early retirement, along with a number of other senior officers and veterans of the First World War, to make way for the advancement of younger and equally capable officers.
Following his retirement from the Air Force, Brownell was made a partner of S. G. Brearley & Co., a stockbroking firm located in Perth. In 1951, he was made chairman of the associated sporting committee of the National Fitness Council of Western Australia; he served in this role until 1967. Aged 79, Brownell died at Subiaco, Western Australia
Subiaco, Western Australia
Subiaco is an inner western suburb of Perth, Western Australia, situated to the north west of Kings Park. Its Local Government Area is the City of Subiaco.-History:Prior to European settlement the area was home to the Noongar Indigenous people....
, on 12 April 1974 and was accorded a funeral with full Air Force honours. Brownell's autobiography, From Khaki to Blue, was posthumously published by the Military Historical Society of Australia in 1978.