BROWN, Ernest
| Service Number: | 394 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 4 March 1915, An original of A Company |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 17th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Bristol, Gloucestershire, England, 7 June 1893 |
| Home Town: | Surry Hills, City of Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | St. Gabriel's School, Easton, Bristol, England |
| Occupation: | Carter |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 2 August 1916, aged 23 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial (Australian National Memorial - France) |
Biography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Ernest was born in Bristol around 1892. In 1911 he was still in Bristol working in a glass warehouse, but he emigrated to Australia around 1912 and he joined his brother Reginald as a carter in Sydney. Ernest enlisted during March 1915 and was assigned to the 17th Battalion. He served on Gallipoli for a couple of months, before being evacuated crook with diarrhea, and sent to England. Ernest was killed in action - first reports gave his death as occurring between 26 July and 7 August, but this was amended to 2 August 1916.
He had 6 brothers who served during WW1, 2 with the Australians and 4 with the British forces. His older brother, 2336 Private Reginald Brown 1st Battalion AIF was killed in action during the taking of Pozieres, sometime between 22nd/25th July, 1916, only a week before Ernest was killed.
Another brother, 94 Gunner Sidney Brown, 127th Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery died of wounds 28 February 1917 age 27.