BESSELL-BROWNE, Alfred Joseph
| Service Number: | W47915 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 18 August 1914, 37th Battery Australian Field Artillery |
| Last Rank: | Colonel |
| Last Unit: | 5th Field Artillery Brigade |
| Born: | Auckland, New Zealand, 3 September 1877 |
| Home Town: | Guildford, Swan, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Camden Grammar School, New South Wales and Perth High School, Western Australia |
| Occupation: | Merchant |
| Died: | Bassendean, Western Australia, 3 August 1947, aged 69 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Karrakatta Cemetery & Crematorium, Western Australia |
| Memorials: | Caversham and Districts Roll of Honour, Guildford St Matthew's Anglican Soldier's Memorial Chapel, Guildford War Memorial, Guildford and District Roll of Honour, Swanleigh St. Mary's Church HR WW1, West Swan, Caversham, Beechboro Honour Roll |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Lieutenant, 5th Western Australian Mounted Infantry | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Lieutenant, 1 Mounted Infantry Contingent | |
| 25 Apr 1902: | Honoured Mention in Dispatches, 25 April 1902 on page 2766 at position 2 | |
| 31 Oct 1902: | Honoured Companion of the Distinguished Service Order |
World War 1 Service
| 18 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Major, 3rd Field Artillery Brigade , 37th Battery Australian Field Artillery | |
|---|---|---|
| 3 Oct 1914: | Involvement Major, 3rd Field Artillery Brigade , --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '3' embarkation_place: Fremantle embarkation_ship: HMAT Medic embarkation_ship_number: A7 public_note: '' | |
| 3 Oct 1914: | Embarked Major, 3rd Field Artillery Brigade , HMAT Medic, Fremantle | |
| 7 Nov 1918: | Honoured Companion of the Order of the Bath | |
| 13 Jul 1919: | Honoured Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George | |
| 31 Jul 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Colonel, 5th Field Artillery Brigade |
World War 2 Service
| 2 Mar 1942: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Colonel, W47915 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Faithe Jones
Brigadier General Alfred Joseph Bessell-Browne CB, CMG, DSO (3 September 1877 – 3 August 1947) was an Australian Army colonel and temporary brigadier general in the First World War. He retired as a brigadier general in 1942
Bessell-Browne enlisted in the Perth Artillery Volunteers held the rank of sergeant in 1899 when he volunteered for South Africa, enlisting in the 1st Western Australian (Mounted Infantry) Contingent as a private. Bessell-Browne was quickly promoted through the non commissioned ranks and was commissioned as a lieutenant on 21 April 1900. He returned to Australia in March 1901 and immediately joined the 5th Western Australian Contingent as a lieutenant, serving as adjutant and then second in command. Bessell-Browne was promoted to captain in June 1901 and in July was mentioned in despatches and awarded the Distinguished Service Order.
Bessell-Browne returned to Australia in May 1902 and rejoined the 1st Western Australian Field Battery with the rank of lieutenant and honorary captain. He was promoted to captain in 1908 and the following year took the Diploma of Military Science course at the University of Sydney. He was promoted to major on 28 August 1911, and took command of his battery, now known as the 37th Field Battery.
On 28 August 1914, Bessell-Browne was appointed to the Australian Imperial Force with the rank of major and given command of the 8th Field Artillery Battery, Bessell-Browne arrived at Anzac Cove on 1 May 1915. On 2 August 1915, Bessell-Browne took over as commander of the 3rd Field Artillery Brigade. During the evacuation of Anzac he commanded the Rear Party Artillery. For his services at Gallipoli, Bessell-Browne was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George and mentioned in despatches.
Bessell-Browne was promoted to temporary lieutenant colonel on 15 October 1915, in the 2nd Field Artillery Brigade It embarked for France on 12 March. On 18 January 1917, Bessell-Browne became commander of the 5th Division Artillery. From 16 to 24 October 1918, Bessell-Browne commanded the US 30th Division's artillery, for which he was awarded the American Distinguished Service Medal.[2]
On 8 November 1918, Bessell-Browne took Anzac leave to return to Australia on furlough. He rejoined the 5th Division artillery on 1 December 1918, returned to Australia on 19 April 1919 and was demobilised in July. For his services on the Western Front, Bessell-Browne was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath and had been mentioned in despatches no less than nine times.
During the Second World War he commanded the Volunteer Defence Corps in Western Australia. He retired as a brigadier general in 1942. Bessell-Browne died on 3 August 1947 and was cremated with full military honours.
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