BROWN, Clarence Walter
| Service Number: | 5056 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 11 January 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 46th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Garlicks Lead, Victoria, Australia, 1898 |
| Home Town: | Newbury, Moorabool, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Garlick's Lead State School, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Died of wounds, France, 14 June 1917 |
| Cemetery: |
Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, Nord Plot III, Row C, Grave 13. GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Trentham War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 11 Jan 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 14th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 14 Mar 1916: | Involvement Private, 5056, 14th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '11' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Anchises embarkation_ship_number: A68 public_note: '' | |
| 14 Mar 1916: | Embarked Private, 5056, 14th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Anchises, Melbourne | |
| 14 Jun 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 46th Infantry Battalion |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Clarence Walter Brown was the youngest of four sons of Thomas Bertram and Emma Amelia Brown of Trentham, Victoria. Two of the brothers died and one was made a prisoner of war during 1916 and 1917.
Clarence’s eldest brother, 1025 Pte. George Brown 6th Battalion AIF died of wounds during the Pozieres battle on 16 August 1916, aged 29.
Another brother, 3491 Frederick Brown of the 2nd Tunnelling Company was made a prisoner of war in Germany during July 1917.
Clarence enlisted with the 14th Battalion and was transferred to the 46th Battalion when he arrived on the Western Front on the same day as his brother George died, 16 August 1916. Clarence was slightly wounded on 13 November 1916, a gunshot wound to the toes on his left foot, but serious enough to be evacuated to England. He rejoined the 46th Battalion in France in late May 1917.
Clarence was severely wounded in the Battle of Messines on 8 June 1917. He had multiple gunshot wounds to his legs and was taken to the 2nd Casualty Clearing Station where his leg was amputated but he died on the 14 June 1917.
The Kyneton Guardian reported on 28 June 1917,
“Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Brown, of Trentham received an official intimation yesterday that their son Private Clarence Brown, died from gunshot wounds on June 14 1917. This bright lad, who was only 19 years of age, was loved by all who knew him and much sympathy is felt for the sorrowing parents. Their eldest son, George, was killed in action last August. There are still two sons on active service abroad, Privates Fred and William Brown.”
Mrs. Brown wrote a letter to Base Records on 20 August 1917.
Dear Sir,
I take the liberty of writing these few lines hoping you will make some enquiries for me about my son that is missing since the 10th July No 3491 Sapper Fred Brown No.2 Tunnelling Coy. AIF France.
I would be so much obliged to you if you could tell me something, his poor hart broken mother, Mrs. T. Brown.
There is four of my sons went to the front and two are dead, the eldest and the youngest. The oldest was 1025 Pte G. Brown 6th Battalion AIF and the other one was the youngest 5056 Pte C.W. Brown 46th Battalion AIF, he died on the 13th June 1917 of this year only two months and my son that is missing was only last month on the 10th July. We have still one boy there I wish I could get him home now that he is all we have left and we are only two old people. Yours respectfully, Mrs. T. Brown.
A surviving brother, 1385 William John Brown 12th Field Artillery Brigade, was returned to Australia in 1918, on the orders of the Defence Department, after two of his brothers had died and one was a POW.
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