BROWN, Alexander Swan
| Service Number: | 13156 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 22 November 1915, Special Reinforcements AMCR |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | Army Medical Corps (AIF) |
| Born: | Bathgate, Scotland, 4 December 1890 |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Hilton Park, Western Australia, 27 December 1971, aged 81 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Fremantle Cemetery, Western Australia Cremation. Memorial in Crematorium Garden C, Position 0009 |
| Memorials: | Fremantle Scots Church Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 22 Nov 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 13156, Australian Medical Team, Special Reinforcements AMCR | |
|---|---|---|
| 14 Mar 1916: | Involvement Private, 13156, Army Medical Corps (AIF), --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '23' embarkation_place: Fremantle embarkation_ship: HMAT Karoola embarkation_ship_number: A63 public_note: '' | |
| 14 Mar 1916: | Embarked Private, 13156, Army Medical Corps (AIF), HMAT Karoola, Fremantle |
Help us honour Alexander Swan Brown's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Helen Harmer
Alexander Swan Brown was born in Bathgate, Scotland on the 4 December 1890 according to his enlistment papers. He had previously served for 11 years with the 7th Royal Scots & Territorials. When he enlisted at Perth (36 Depot) on 22.11.1915, he was aged 30 years 11 months. He was a labourer living at 70 Queen Victoria St, Fremantle with his wife Isabella. Alexander was described as being 5 feet 4¾ inches tall, with a chest measurement of 34½ – 36½ inches, fresh complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. He had a heart and dagger on his right forearm, and tattoo marks on his left forearm. He was Presbyterian and allocated the rank of Private with service number 13156 in the Special Reinforcements AMCR. Alexander embarked from Fremantle on HMAT Karoola A63, on the 14.3.16. He served with the 13th, Second and 12th Field Ambulance Units. In 1917, he applied for a transfer to transport duty after 22 months as a stretcher bearer. As a married man with four children, he had received news that two of them were ill and their small business was struggling. His wife’s relatives lived in Scotland, so were unable to support her. This application was approved in January 1918, and he returned to Australia on the Kenilworth Castle as Nursing Staff on the 17th of March. AS Brown is honoured at Scotch College as well as at Scots Church.
In 1941, at the age of 50 years 4 months, he was living at Mollerin, a small community in the Wheatbelt, north-east of Perth and north-west of Merredin, when he again enlisted. With the service number W29501 Alexander served firstly as CC Staff at Northam. Whilst stationed there in 1941, he was sanctioned for creating a disturbance at the Northam Town Hall and using insubordinate language to a Superior Officer. He also served in Kalgoorlie, then in the Australian Special Investigation Branch (Maritime Group) in NSW. He was discharged in 1946 from Karrakatta base to a home address in Stony Gully, Kelmscott. In 1950, he was a passenger in a truck driven by his son-in-law that overturned near Northam. Alexander sustained broken ribs.
Alexander died on the 27.12.1971 at Hilton Park, aged 87. He is memorialised at the Fremantle Crematorium Garden C, Position 0009.
(WW1) NAA Series number: B2455 Barcode 1793980;
(WW2) Series number: B884 Barcode: 6489369
Click images to start slideshow.