Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Excerpt from Blood Sweat and Fears: Medical Practitioners and Medical Students of South Australian who Served in World War 1. Courtesy of the Authors

Herbert Percival Brownell (Val) was born on the 12th November 1889 in Hobart, Tasmania where his father William was a draper. He was the eldest of three boys and two girls. William Brownell (1862-1916) was a member of the Tasmanian Parliament from 1903-09. Brownell was educated in Hobart and at Scotch College, Melbourne where he served in the Senior Cadets and for two years in the Infantry Militia while a student. He studied medicine at Melbourne University and graduated in 1915.

Brownell first enlisted in the AIF on 22nd March 1915. He was 5ft 6ins and weighed 12st.  His father of Newtown, Tasmania was named as his next of kin. He was commissioned as a Captain and posted to B Section, 7 FdAmb.  He embarked from Sydney on the Clan McEwan and went with his unit to Gallipoli in September He was injured with a gunshot wound to the chest on 4th November 1915 but was returned to duty 8 days later. The Unit returned to Egypt then to France in March 1916. In May he was posted to 27 Bn then on to the Somme in July. He was promoted to major in April 1917. Brownell was twice recommended for the Military Cross. The first was for his actions at Messines when under heavy fire he attended wounded men, spending two hours in a difficult position preventing Lieutenant HB Walker of bleeding to death. This was followed by on 4th-6th August at Pozières when he worked for 30 hours attending to wounded under shell fire.  Nevertheless the award of MC was not made. The Bn took part in the attack on Malt Trench in March and in May in the Second Battle of Bullecourt.  Brownell was again recommended for the MC but was awarded a DSO on 2nd June 1917. The citation read: For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty whilst attending to the wounded under heavy fire. His coolness in organising matters amidst the greatest confusion enabled the wounded to be expeditiously treated, and he personally treated some hundreds of cases under heavy shell fire.  He also was Mentioned in Despatches. Brownell was posted back to 7 FdAmb in July 1917; in October 1917 he returned to Australia for ‘family reasons’. These reasons are not specified in his records, but seem to have included marrying Mary Salier Ferguson, which he did on the 7th September 1918. He did not return to active service. His appointment was terminated in Australia on the 31st March 1918 and he then re-enlisted on the 3rd July 1918. His wife was then named as his next of kin and her address given as Kensington Gardens, South Australia. He again had his appointment terminated on the 5th February 1919. He was issued with the 1914-1915 Star, the British War medal and the Victory Medal with Oak Leaves.

Back in Australia Val Brownell worked first at Broken Hill, then as a GP at Norwood, and finally on North Terrace in Adelaide.   He was involved with the SA Branch of the BMA, Legacy and “Toc H” Horsemanship and Yachting. It was said that his outstanding traits were his courage both moral and physical. He inspired affection as well as respect. He was Commanding Officer of 3 FdAmb from 1926-27 and A/Director of Hygiene of 4 MD from 1927-30 He was Commanding Officer of 6 FdAmb from 1930-35. Herbert Percival Brownell died on the 26th April 1937, survived by his widow and three sons