BROWNE, Charles Arden
| Service Number: | 2121 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 7 July 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 19th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Armidale, New South Wales, Australia , 1892 |
| Home Town: | Armidale, Armidale Dumaresq, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Bank clerk |
| Died: | Died of wounds, France, 27 February 1917 |
| Cemetery: |
Warlencourt British Cemetery Plot I, Row C, Grave No. 15. |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Sydney Australian Bank of Commerce Limited Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 7 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2121, 19th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 30 Sep 1915: | Involvement Private, 2121, 19th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '13' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Argyllshire embarkation_ship_number: A8 public_note: '' | |
| 30 Sep 1915: | Embarked Private, 2121, 19th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Argyllshire, Sydney | |
| 27 Feb 1917: | Involvement Sergeant, 2121, 19th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 2121 awm_unit: 19 Battalion awm_rank: Sergeant awm_died_date: 1917-02-27 |
Help us honour Charles Arden Browne's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Charles Browne was the son of Charles Herbert and Lillia Victoria Browne, of Ascot, Queensland. He was born and raised in Armidale, New South Wales.
His younger brother 1894A Private Henry Gordon Browne 18th Battalion AIF, was killed in action at Pozieres 2 August 1916, age 22.
Charles Arden Brown was promoted to bank accountant to the Tamworth branch of the City Bank of Sydney 1914, when he was 22 years of age.
Charles joined the 19th Battalion and was promoted to Sergeant after the Battle of Pozieres. He was mortally wounded by shell fire near the Butte of Warlencourt. One of his mates gave the following information on his death.
“Referring to the death of my pal Sgt. C.A. Browne, I assure you that it was C.A. Browne that died on the 27th February 1917. Our Company. C, 19th Battalion, were carrying bombs to the front line just near the Butte of Warlencourt, when a shell burst and caught several of our chaps: I went straight to Sgt. Browne and did the best I could for him, but I could see then that he was hit badly. I, however, got him to the dressing station, but after receiving medical treatment he died seven minutes after. I buried him in a shell hole between two Tommies and afterwards made a little wooden cross. I cannot remember exactly the position, I know it only too well, it’s just at the foot of the Butte on the main Le Sars-- Bapaume Road. I have heard since that the place has been made into a graveyard with proper attention and of course if so, proper military graves will have been made and you can find out exactly the location by writing. Sgt. Browne was medium height, very full in the face end latterly getting rather stout, young, only about 24 at the most and walked with a slight limp, caused by losing his big toe before the war in a shooting accident. Unfortunately, it was him killed, I knowing him only too well and his poor brother Gordon killed at Pozieres (August last)” Letter from: - Sgt. L. Franklin C. Coy. 19th Battn. A.I.F. France. 11.7.17.