Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

From Australian Remembrance Army

𝗛𝗢𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗘 𝗝𝗢𝗛𝗡 𝗕𝗥𝗢𝗪𝗡
Service No: 378
Rank: Lance Corporal
Unit: 41st Battalion

Our group of volunteers recently restored the lettering to the civilian granite headstone of Horace John Brown and his wife Ivy, located in Section 11 at Lutwyche Cemetery. We were able to contact the granddaughter of Horace and Ivy who, along with her siblings gave us family permission to carry out this work on their behalf. We also obtained permission from Brisbane City Council before undertaking work on the headstone.

𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧 was born on 1 July 1894 in the Brisbane suburb of Paddington. He was the seventh child born to parents Sarah Ann Quick and William Henry Brown and had four brothers and five sisters. Sadly, five of his siblings did not make it to adulthood, with all but one dying in infancy.

Horace enlisted for service with the AIF on 23 October 1915 in Brisbane, Queensland and embarked from Sydney, New South Wales per “Demosthenes” on 16 May 1916 for active service abroad. He disembarked in Plymouth, England two months later on 20 July, and proceeded overseas to France from Plymouth on 24 November.

In January 1917, Horace was admitted to hospital with influenza, rejoining the battalion 24 days later on 20 February. He was appointed to Lance Corporal on 14 July 1917 and on 17 August, marched in to the 11th Training Battalion at Larkhill, England from France. Horace attended the Rifle and Lewis Guns course at Hayling Island from 3 to 28 September and upon completion, was qualified as 2nd Class with “a fair knowledge of the Lewis Machine Gun”. He marched into the 9th Training Battalion on 5 November and two days later, was promoted to ER Corporal. Later that month, Horace was attached to Perm Cadre of 9th Training Battalion in Fovant.

The following year, on 30 January 1918, Horace reverted to the rank of Lance Corporal before proceeding overseas to France from Fovant, rejoining the 41st Battalion on 7 February. On 4 May, Horace was admitted to hospital with influenza and invalided to the UK ten days later. He was admitted to 2/1st South General Hospital in Birmingham, England on 15 May before being transferred to 1st Auxiliary Hospital in Harefield on 7 June 1918. He was granted leave from 24 July to 7 August and marched in to No 1 Convalescent Depot in Sutton Very on 9 August. On 17 August, Horace was again admitted to hospital, this time with cellulitis to his right wrist. He was discharged on 9 October and marched out to the Overseas Training Brigade. Horace was returned to Australia per “Ceramic” on 25 January 1919, disembarking in Australia on 14 March. He was discharged in Brisbane on 10 May 1919.

On his return to Australia, Horace married Ivy McGuire Bendeich. The couple were married on 20 December 1920 and settled in a home at 48 Charteris Street, Paddington. Although a carpenter by trade, Horace worked as a motorman. Horace and Ivy had two children, Elsie Clare (born 1921) and Hazel Esme (born 1925).

Horace John Brown passed away on 1 December 1962, aged 68 years. He was buried at Lutwyche Cemetery in Section 11 with his wife Ivy, who predeceased him nine years earlier.
Lest We Forget