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403:, 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 prisoner 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
443:
persistent sniping. Hearing that it had been decided to rush this post, Corporal Brown, on his own initiative, crept out along the shallow trench and made a dash towards the post. An enemy machine gun opened fire from another trench and forced him to take cover. Later he again dashed forward and reached his objective. With a
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On 15 February 1942, Brown's regiment moved up to the front line to make a final stand. Sources disagree as to what happened to Brown after this. When the order to surrender came, some witnesses alleged him to have calmly picked up some grenades and said: "No surrender for me", before walking towards
496:
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,
375:
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
447:
in his hand he stood at the door of a dug-out and called on the occupants to surrender. One of the enemy rushed out, a scuffle ensued, and
Corporal Brown knocked him down with his fist. Loud cries of "Kamerad" were then heard, and from the dug-out an officer and eleven, other ranks appeared. This
442:
The company to which he was attached carried out during the night a minor operation resulting in the capture of a small system of enemy trench. Early on the following morning an enemy strong post about seventy. yards distant caused the occupants of the newly captured trench great inconvenience by
516:
Author John
Moremon, however, suggests, from records held at the Australian War Memorial, that Brown sought to escape and after gaining permission from his commanding officer, led a group of 2/15th men to Rengat, in Sumatra, in a rowing boat. From there it is believed that Brown and the others
315:
following the
Japanese invasion of Malaya, and retreated to Singapore. The garrison at Singapore surrendered on 15 February 1942. Brown is believed to have been killed subsequently, with his date of death given as 28 February 1942, although his body has never been recovered.
51:
291:
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.
517:
attempted to link up with other troops that were being evacuated via bus, but they became separated and although some managed to get away to Padang, Brown is believed to have been killed while waiting for transport.
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379:
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
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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
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562:
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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.
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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
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His
Majesty the KING has been graciously pleased to approve of the award of the Victoria Cross to the undermentioned Non-commissioned Officers and Man: —
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party
Corporal Brown brought back as prisoners to our line, the enemy meanwhile from other positions bringing heavy machine-gun fire to bear on the party.
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328:. His parents were Sidney Francis Brown—a miller—and Agnes Mary Brown (née Carney). After finishing his schooling, he worked as a grocer in
272:
461:. 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
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For most conspicuous bravery and determination when with an advanced party from his battalion which was going into the line in relief.
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392:. 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
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Although his date of death is uncertain, it has been presumed that Brown was killed some time after he went missing, and the
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Following the war he was repatriated to Australia in late 1919 before being discharged on medical grounds in February 1920.
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Brown's service in World War II resulted in the posthumous award of five further service medals, these being the
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251:, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to members of the British and
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Following the war, Brown was repatriated to Australia and returned to civilian life. When the
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the military authorities allowed him to continue serving. He was briefly promoted to
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A Bitter Fate: Australians in Malaya & Singapore, December 1941 – February 1942
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began, he lied about his age and previous experience in order to re-enlist in the
17:
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The award of the Victoria Cross to Brown was published in a supplement to
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and it was for his actions during this time that he was later awarded the
457:
After being discharged from the AIF in early 1920, Brown went to live in
404:
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1006:"Victoria Cross : Corporal Walter Ernest Brown, 20 Battalion, AIF"
501:, but requested to revert to the rank of gunner. His unit was sent to
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260:
90:
925:. Canberra: Department of Veterans' Affairs. pp. 115–116.
897:"NX35492 Walter Ernest Brown, Australian Army, service record"
509:, and then to Singapore in February 1942 when it was invaded.
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On 4 June 1932 Brown married Maude Dillon at Christ Church in
1061:
Australian recipients of the Distinguished Conduct Medal
271:. Initially he was sent to Egypt where he served in the
1056:
Australian World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross
777:. Vol. 7. Canberra: National Centre of Biography,
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No. 1689A Corporal Walter Ernest Brown, D.C.M., A.I.F.
336:, where he remained in the same line of work until the
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Australian military personnel killed in World War II
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127:
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472:. The couple had two children, a boy and a girl.
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891:
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505:in August 1941 where they were attached to the
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352:in July 1915 and was initially assigned to the
324:Walter Ernest Brown was born on 3 July 1885 in
855:(Supplement). 18 October 1918. p. 12386.
586:
583:
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243:(3 July 1885 – 28 February 1942) was an
8:
1066:Australian military personnel of World War I
880:(Supplement). 16 August 1918. p. 9659.
819:"Walter Ernest Brown – Discovering Anzacs"
49:
38:
1041:Australian Army personnel of World War II
513:the enemy lines, never to be seen again.
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30:For other people with the same name, see
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950:"Casualty details—Brown, Walter Ernest"
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536:His Victoria Cross is displayed at the
287:. In July 1918, during the fighting at
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7:
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388:. On 19 October he was promoted to
376:France to join the 20th Battalion.
354:1st Australian Light Horse Regiment
267:in 1915, following the outbreak of
954:Commonwealth War Graves Commission
774:Australian Dictionary of Biography
769:"Brown, Walter Ernest (1885–1942)"
522:Commonwealth War Graves Commission
356:, before being transferred to the
25:
1071:Missing in action of World War II
695:Australia Service Medal 1939–1945
1036:Military personnel from Tasmania
899:. National Archives of Australia
660:
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628:
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301:Second Australian Imperial Force
275:before being transferred to the
27:Recipient of the Victoria Cross
823:National Archives of Australia
779:Australian National University
707:List of people who disappeared
687:Defence Medal (United Kingdom)
480:Following the outbreak of the
429:War Office, 17th August, 1918.
1:
332:until 1911, when he moved to
424:on 17 August 1918, reading:
307:. In 1942 Brown's unit, the
618:Distinguished Conduct Medal
488:under his real name in the
386:Distinguished Conduct Medal
303:, this time serving in the
220:Distinguished Conduct Medal
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494:Royal Australian Artillery
334:Petersham, New South Wales
305:Royal Australian Artillery
29:
350:Australian Imperial Force
48:
1046:Australian Army soldiers
273:Australian Service Corps
263:before enlisting in the
1076:People from New Norfolk
538:Australian War Memorial
414:Victoria Cross citation
279:where he served in the
255:forces. He was born in
166:German spring offensive
161:Battle of Passchendaele
921:Moremon, John (2002).
484:, Brown enlisted as a
450:
407:on 13 September 1918.
348:Brown enlisted in the
311:, participated in the
980:"Walter Ernest Brown"
727:"Walter Ernest Brown"
490:2/15th Field Regiment
326:New Norfolk, Tasmania
309:2/15th Field Regiment
118:Years of service
74:New Norfolk, Tasmania
781:. pp. 446–447.
358:Imperial Camel Corps
245:Australian recipient
767:White, K.R (1979).
691:War Medal 1939–1945
526:Kranji War Cemetery
228:Walter Ernest Brown
190:Battle of Singapore
93:, Dutch East Indies
55:Walter Ernest Brown
43:Walter Ernest Brown
877:The London Gazette
852:The London Gazette
421:The London Gazette
401:Villers-Bretonneux
399:On 6 July 1918 at
289:Villers-Bretonneux
986:. aif.adfa.edu.au
788:978-0-522-84459-7
675:
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652:British War Medal
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18:Walter Brown (VC)
16:(Redirected from
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259:and worked as a
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499:lance-sergeant
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390:lance corporal
362:20th Battalion
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249:Victoria Cross
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988:. Retrieved
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957:. Retrieved
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901:. Retrieved
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826:. Retrieved
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683:Pacific Star
676:
636:1914–15 Star
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507:27th Brigade
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370:2nd Division
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253:Commonwealth
227:
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144:Battles/wars
86:(1942-02-28)
36:
32:Walter Brown
1031:1942 deaths
1026:1885 births
990:12 November
959:2 September
872:"No. 30849"
847:"No. 30961"
584:Description
366:5th Brigade
340:broke out.
180:Pacific War
76:, Australia
71:3 July 1885
1020:Categories
828:10 October
320:Early life
98:Allegiance
67:1885-07-03
797:1833-7538
283:with the
101:Australia
805:70677943
701:See also
542:Canberra
405:sergeant
394:corporal
281:infantry
257:Tasmania
132:Sergeant
106:Service/
247:of the
192: (
123:1940–42
121:1915–20
929:
903:25 May
803:
795:
785:
693:, and
587:Notes
581:Ribbon
532:Medals
503:Malaya
486:gunner
470:Bexley
463:Leeton
459:Sydney
330:Hobart
261:grocer
212:Awards
137:Gunner
108:branch
91:Rengat
713:Notes
620:(DCM)
238:
236:,
139:(WW2)
134:(WW1)
992:2012
961:2009
927:ISBN
905:2009
830:2014
801:OCLC
793:ISSN
783:ISBN
602:(VC)
128:Rank
81:Died
61:Born
540:in
240:DCM
195:MIA
1022::
982:.
969:^
952:.
941:^
913:^
886:^
874:.
861:^
849:.
838:^
821:.
799:.
791:.
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735:^
697:.
689:,
685:,
681:,
544:.
492:,
396:.
372:.
368:,
364:,
233:VC
230:,
1008:.
994:.
963:.
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832:.
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198:)
69:)
65:(
34:.
20:)
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