Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

NOTE: The Family name was incorrectly transcribed on the Embarkation Roll. The name details on this memorial have been amended to accord with the details recorded in Official Service Records. The correct order of names is Reginald Spencer BROWNE. Verfied and corrected by the RSL Virtual War Memorial Chief Moderator, April 2017.

Brigadier General Reginald Spencer BROWNE
Commander Australian Details Egypt, August 1915 – September 1915; Commander 6th Infantry Brigade September 1915 – December 1915; Commander Training Depots, January 1916 – October 1917; Commander Molonglo Concentration Camp, Canberra, February 1918 to end of war

Born 13th July 1856, Appin, New South Wales; died 9th November 1943, Brisbane, Queensland

Browne joined the Queensland Mounted Infantry in 1887 and was commissioned a lieutenant, working his way up the ranks to major in 1896. Browne served with the 1st Queensland Contingent in South Africa during the Second Boer War, and sailed in November 1899. In 1903 Browne became commanding officer of the 13th Light Horse Regiment with the rank of lieutenant colonel, and in 1906 he became the commander of the 5th Light Horse Brigade and was promoted to full colonel. He was then transferred onto the list of Reserve of Officers in 1911.

Browne joined the First Australian Imperial Force on 16th March 1915 as commander of the 4th Light Horse Brigade. This brigade was sent to Egypt, but was dismounted and broke up on 26th August 1915. Browne’s new unit, the 13th Light Horse Regiment, was assigned to the newly formed 2nd Division, with which it served at Anzac Cove.

On 28th August 1915, Browne was appointed officer commanding Australian Details Egypt, responsible for training reinforcements. In September Major General Legge sent for him to replace Colonel Richard Linton, the commander of the 6th Infantry Brigade who had died following the torpedoing of the troop transport Southland. Browne took over the brigade on 8th September 1915 and served at Lone Pine and Quinn’s Post, but at the age of 59 the rigours of the campaign combined with his age began to take its toll. Nonetheless he stayed until he was evacuated on 10th December 1915.

On his return to Egypt, Browne was transferred to the Training and General Base Depot at Tel el Kebir. He was promoted to temporary brigadier general on 16th March 1916 and appointed to command the Depot on 20th March 1916. When the Base moved to England, Browne went with it taking command of the Training Depots in England on 14th June 1916. On 25th July 1916, his command was abolished and merged into AIF depots in the United Kingdom under Major General Newton James Moore. Browne took charge of the 2nd Command Depot at Weymouth, England; this unit was responsible for taking in men “unfit for service within six months” and therefore to be returned home.

On 12th October 1917, Browne was declared medically unfit and listed for return to Australia. He took a visit to France, and then left for Australia on 24th November 1917. On 10th February 1918, Browne was appointed to command the new Molonglo Concentration Camp near Canberra, where German internees were held. Browne was demobilized on 17th December 1918, and was formally retired on 20 October 1921 as an honorary major general.

For further reading on Brigadier General Reginald Spencer BROWNE visit the Australian Dictionary of Biography

https://anzac-22nd-battalion.com/commanding-officers-6th-infantry-brigade/

Mentioned in Despatches

MAJOR SPENCER BROWNE
Major Reginald Spencer Browne, Q.M.I. Commanding the Ist Battalion of the Queensland Mounted Infantry, left Queensland as a supernumerary officer with the First Queensland  Contingent. Was transport officer to Colonel Pilcher during the relief of Douglas (Sunnyside engagement) and on the Staff of Colonel Rochfort Boyd R.E., during that officer's term  as Commandant at Belmont, including an expedition in the Herbert district. Joined the Staff of Major-General Alderson, who commanded the Mounted Infantry Brigade on the  march to fhe relief of Kimberley, and ttook part in the engagements at Rett River and Modder River, and, on the day after the relief, at Dronfleld and Macfarlane. Went with Major-General Alderson's force to Paardeberg and Koodoo's Rand, and took part in three of the engagements prior to Cronje's surrender. Was also In the engagements at Oslontein Poplar Grove, Driefontein, and Abraham's Kraal, and in the march to Bloemfontein. On the reconstitution of the Mounted Infantry he Joined Colonel Pilcher's Staff again early in  April. In the advance on Kroonstadt and Johannesburg he was in the engagements at Constantia, Zand River, Vet River, Kliprlver's Berg (two days) Doornkop, and Klipfontein. Was in the advance on Pretoria, and in the battle of Diamond Hill (two days). Was in engagements almost daily for three weeks at Tygerpoort and Witpoor't, south-east of Pretoria, and in the march on Balmoral. Took part in the march to Rustenburg to the relief of Major-General Baden-Powell, including an engagement at Horn's Nek, end then in the chase of De Wet through the Megaliesberg Range, and on to Warm Bad. Returned to Pretoria in September, suffering from malarial fever, and was invalided to Capetown.