Walter Ernest Brown
Encyclopedia
Walter Ernest Brown VC
, DCM
(3 July 1885 – 28 February 1942) was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross
, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to members of the British
and Commonwealth
forces. He was born in Tasmania
and worked as a grocer
before enlisting in the Australian Army
in 1915, following the outbreak of First World War. Initially he was sent to Egypt
where he served in the Australian Service Corps
before being transferred to the Western Front
where he served in the infantry
with the 20th Battalion. In July 1918, during the fighting at Villers-Bretonneux
he single-handedly destroyed a German
machine-gun post, taking a number of prisoners in the process. For this act he was awarded the Victoria Cross. He was also later awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for a previous act of bravery.
Following the war, Brown was repatriated to Australia and returned to civilian life. When the Second World War began, he lied about his age and previous experience in order to re-enlist in the Australian Army, this time serving in the Royal Australian Artillery. In 1942 Brown's unit was sent to Singapore following the Japanese attack on Malaya. He is believed to have been killed in action on 15 February 1942, although his body has never been recovered.
. His parents were Sidney Francis Brown—a miller—and Agnes Mary Brown (née Carney). After finishing his schooling, he worked as a grocer in Hobart until 1911, when he moved to Petersham, New South Wales
, where he remained in the same line of work until the First World War broke out.
in July 1915 and was initially assigned to the 1st Australian Light Horse Regiment, before being transferred to the Imperial Camel Corps
in Egypt. After being transferred to France he was assigned to the 55th Battalion, Australian Infantry; 1st and 2nd Field Butcheries, Australian Service Corps; and then, finally, the 20th Battalion, 5th Brigade
, 2nd Division. He managed to secure his transfer to the infantry by claiming that he had lost his false teeth, which meant that he had to be removed from the theatre and returned to Egypt, where he was able to attach himself to the infantry reinforcements that were being concentrated there prior to being sent to France to join the 20th Battalion.
His transfer to the 20th Battalion took place in July 1917 and he joined them while they were stationed in the line around St Omer. During September and October 1917, Brown took part in the fighting around Passchendaele and it was for his actions during this time that he was later awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal
. On 19 October he was promoted to lance corporal
. In November he was wounded, however, he returned to his unit shortly after and on 7 April 1918 he was promoted to the rank of corporal
.
On 6 July 1918 at Villers-Bretonneux
, France
he performed the deed for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross: Brown had rushed a machine-gun post armed with a hand grenade, taking one officer and 11 men prisoners under heavy machine-gun fire. After this incident Brown remained at the front until the end of the war, and despite being wounded again in August he was promoted to sergeant
on 13 September 1918.
Following the war he was repatriated to Australia in late 1919 before being discharged on medical grounds in February 1920.
on 17 August 1918, reading:
and taking up a position as a water-bailiff in the New South Wales Water Conservation and Irrigation Commission. He remained in this job until he rejoined the Army in 1940.
On 4 June 1932 Brown married Maude Dillon at Christ Church in Bexley
. The couple had two children, a boy and a girl.
under his real name in the 2/15th Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery
in June 1940. Hoping to avoid attention and wanting to secure a posting to the front lines, he declared that he had "no previous military experience" and also claimed he had been born in 1900 in order to meet the age requirements for front line service. Although his identity became public knowledge, the military authorities allowed him to continue serving. He was briefly promoted to lance-sergeant, but requested to revert to the rank of gunner. His unit was sent to Malaya
in June 1941, and then to Singapore in February 1942 when it was invaded.
He was killed in action in Malaya
as Singapore
was about to be surrendered. On 14 February 1942, witnesses alleged him to have calmly picked up some grenades and said: "No surrender for me", before walking towards the enemy lines, never to be seen again. Although his date of death is uncertain, it has been presumed that he was killed some time after he went missing, and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission
officially records his date of death as 28 February 1942.
As his body was never found, Brown has no known grave, although he is commemorated at the Singapore Memorial at Kranji War Cemetery
in Singapore.
in Canberra.
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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....
, DCM
Distinguished Conduct Medal
The Distinguished Conduct Medal was an extremely high level award for bravery. It was a second level military decoration awarded to other ranks of the British Army and formerly also to non-commissioned personnel of other Commonwealth countries.The medal was instituted in 1854, during the Crimean...
(3 July 1885 – 28 February 1942) 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 award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to members of the British
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...
and 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. He was born in 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...
and worked as a grocer
Grocer
A grocer is a bulk seller of food. Beginning as early as the 14th century, a grocer was a dealer in comestible dry goods such as spices, pepper, sugar, and cocoa, tea and coffee...
before enlisting in the Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
in 1915, following the outbreak of First World War. Initially he was sent to 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...
where he served in the Australian Service Corps
Royal Australian Army Service Corps
The Royal Australian Army Service Corps was an Australian army unit. Formed shortly after the Federation of Australia on 1 January 1901, it was known as the Australian Army Service Corps . The MSC/AASC/RAASC served in World War I, World War II, as part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force...
before being transferred 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...
where he served in the infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
with the 20th Battalion. In July 1918, during the fighting at Villers-Bretonneux
Villers-Bretonneux
Villers-Bretonneux is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Geography:Villers-Bretonneux is situated some 19 km due east of Amiens, on the D1029 road and the A29 motorway.-History - World War I:...
he single-handedly destroyed a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
machine-gun post, taking a number of prisoners in the process. For this act he was awarded the Victoria Cross. He was also later awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for a previous act of bravery.
Following the war, Brown was repatriated to Australia and returned to civilian life. When the Second World War began, he lied about his age and previous experience in order to re-enlist in the Australian Army, this time serving in the Royal Australian Artillery. In 1942 Brown's unit was sent to Singapore following the Japanese attack on Malaya. He is believed to have been killed in action on 15 February 1942, although his body has never been recovered.
Early life
Walter Ernest Brown was born on 3 July 1885 in New Norfolk, TasmaniaNew Norfolk, Tasmania
-References:5. Fellowship of First Fleeters.6. New Norfolk's History and Achievements by Joe Cowburn and Rita Cox 1986-External links:* has extensive local information, history, photographs, resources and attractions...
. His parents were Sidney Francis Brown—a miller—and Agnes Mary Brown (née Carney). After finishing his schooling, he worked as a grocer in Hobart until 1911, when he moved to Petersham, New South Wales
Petersham, New South Wales
Petersham is a suburb in the Inner West of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Petersham is located 6 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Marrickville Council...
, where he remained in the same line of work until the First World War broke out.
First World War
Brown enlisted in the Australian Imperial ForceAustralian 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 July 1915 and was initially assigned to the 1st Australian Light Horse Regiment, before being transferred to the Imperial Camel Corps
Imperial Camel Corps
The Imperial Camel Corps was a brigade-sized military formation which fought for the Allies in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign in World War I. Its personnel were infantry mounted on camels for movement across desert....
in Egypt. After being transferred to France he was assigned to the 55th Battalion, Australian Infantry; 1st and 2nd Field Butcheries, Australian Service Corps; and then, finally, the 20th Battalion, 5th Brigade
5th Brigade (Australia)
5th Brigade is a brigade of the Australian Army. It is a Reserve combined arms formation based in New South Wales and forms part of the 2nd Division.-History:...
, 2nd Division. He managed to secure his transfer to the infantry by claiming that he had lost his false teeth, which meant that he had to be removed from the theatre and returned to Egypt, where he was able to attach himself to the infantry reinforcements that were being concentrated there prior to being sent to France to join the 20th Battalion.
His transfer to the 20th Battalion took place in July 1917 and he joined them while they were stationed in the line around St Omer. During September and October 1917, Brown took part in the fighting around Passchendaele and it was for his actions during this time that he was later awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal
Distinguished Conduct Medal
The Distinguished Conduct Medal was an extremely high level award for bravery. It was a second level military decoration awarded to other ranks of the British Army and formerly also to non-commissioned personnel of other Commonwealth countries.The medal was instituted in 1854, during the Crimean...
. On 19 October he was promoted to lance corporal
Lance Corporal
Lance corporal is a military rank, used by many armed forces worldwide, and also by some police forces and other uniformed organizations. It is below the rank of corporal, and is typically the lowest non-commissioned officer, usually equivalent to the NATO Rank Grade OR-3.- Etymology :The presumed...
. In November he was wounded, however, he returned to his unit shortly after and on 7 April 1918 he was promoted to the rank of 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....
.
On 6 July 1918 at Villers-Bretonneux
Villers-Bretonneux
Villers-Bretonneux is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Geography:Villers-Bretonneux is situated some 19 km due east of Amiens, on the D1029 road and the A29 motorway.-History - World War I:...
, 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...
he performed the deed for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross: Brown had rushed a machine-gun post armed with a hand grenade, taking one officer and 11 men prisoners under heavy machine-gun fire. After this incident Brown remained at the front until the end of the war, and despite being wounded again in August he 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....
on 13 September 1918.
Following the war he was repatriated to Australia in late 1919 before being discharged on medical grounds in February 1920.
Victoria Cross citation
The award of the Victoria Cross to Brown was published in a supplement to the London GazetteLondon 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 17 August 1918, reading:
Inter war years
After being discharged from the AIF in early 1920, Brown went to live in Sydney, New South Wales. During this time he undertook a number of different lines of work, being employed as a brass-finisher up until 1930 when he moved to LeetonLeeton, New South Wales
Leeton is a town in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. Leeton is situated approximately 550 km west of Sydney and 450 km north of Melbourne in the productive Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area. Leeton is administered by Leeton Shire Council...
and taking up a position as a water-bailiff in the New South Wales Water Conservation and Irrigation Commission. He remained in this job until he rejoined the Army in 1940.
On 4 June 1932 Brown married Maude Dillon at Christ Church in Bexley
Bexley, New South Wales
Bexley is a suburb in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Bexley is located 14 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Rockdale and is part of the St George area.-History:...
. The couple had two children, a boy and a girl.
Second World War
Following the outbreak of the Second World War, Brown enlisted as a 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....
under his real name in the 2/15th Field Regiment, Royal Australian 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...
in June 1940. Hoping to avoid attention and wanting to secure a posting to the front lines, he declared that he had "no previous military experience" and also claimed he had been born in 1900 in order to meet the age requirements for front line service. Although his identity became public knowledge, the military authorities allowed him to continue serving. He was briefly promoted to lance-sergeant, but requested to revert to the rank of gunner. His unit was sent to Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
in June 1941, and then to Singapore in February 1942 when it was invaded.
He was killed in action in Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
as 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...
was about to be surrendered. On 14 February 1942, witnesses alleged him to have calmly picked up some grenades and said: "No surrender for me", before walking towards the enemy lines, never to be seen again. Although his date of death is uncertain, it has been presumed that he was killed some time after he went missing, and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is an intergovernmental organisation of six independent member states whose principal function is to mark, record and maintain the graves, and places of commemoration, of Commonwealth of Nations military service members who died in the two World Wars...
officially records his date of death as 28 February 1942.
As his body was never found, Brown has no known grave, although he is commemorated at the Singapore Memorial at Kranji War Cemetery
Kranji War Cemetery
The Kranji War Cemetery is located in Kranji, Singapore, and is the final resting place for Allied soldiers who perished during the Battle of Singapore and the subsequent Japanese occupation of the island from 1942-1945 and in other parts of Southeast Asia during World War II.There are 4,461 World...
in Singapore.
Medals
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Australian War MemorialAustralian 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...
in Canberra.
| Ribbon | Description | Notes |
|
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.... (VC) |
gazetted 1918 |
|
Distinguished Conduct Medal Distinguished Conduct Medal The Distinguished Conduct Medal was an extremely high level award for bravery. It was a second level military decoration awarded to other ranks of the British Army and formerly also to non-commissioned personnel of other Commonwealth countries.The medal was instituted in 1854, during the Crimean... (DCM) |
gazetted 1918 |
| 1914–15 Star | ||
|
British War Medal British War Medal The British War Medal was a campaign medal of the British Empire, for service in World War I.The medal was approved in 1919, for issue to officers and men of British and Imperial forces who had rendered service between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918... |
|
|
Victory Medal |