Gnr
Frank Alfred Brown
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 04/02/1886 |
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Place of birth: Valetta, Malta, Crown Colony of Malta |
General information
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Last known residence: 60 Epping Road, Double Bay, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
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Profession: Clerk |
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Religion: Roman Catholic |
Army information
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Country: Australia |
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Force: Australian Imperial Force |
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Rank: Gunner |
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Service number: 31803 |
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Enlistment date: 16/10/1916 |
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Enlistment place: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
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Units: — Australian Light Trench Mortar, 5th Bty. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 05/09/1917 |
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Place of death: Rijselstraat, Ypres, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 31 |
Cemetery
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Ypres Reservoir Cemetery Plot: I Row: D Grave: 71 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 4
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Last known residence | ||
| #3 | Enlistment place | ||
| #4 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Frank Alfred Brown, a former clerk, was born in November 1887 on Malta. On 16 October 1916 he enlisted at Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Frank Alfred served as a Gunner in the X5A Medium Trench Mortar Battery, part of the 5th Australian Brigade, of the 2nd Australian Division.
On 24 august 1917 V5A Heavy Trench Mortar and X5A Medium Trench Mortar Batteries brought a heavy trench mortar in position near Grey Ruin on the Frezenberg Ridge (28.D.25.b.6.8). This gun was set up to engage the Borry Farm and Beck House strongholds, about 1 kilometre east of the gun position. In the following days both batteries were moving ammunition from Stanley Dump, east of Vlamertinge, to the mortar on the other side of Ypres.
On the night between the 4th and 5th of September 1917 disaster struck. A party was returning back to camp after carrying ammunition to the heavy trench mortar on the Frezenberg Ridge. They had reached the ruined Post Office in Ypres when suddenly, a German shell landed amid the party, killing and wounding multiple men.
Brown Frank Alfred, aged 31, was one of the men killed on September 5, 1917. Gunner William John Hart, a friend of Frank, described the scene to the Australian Red Cross in December 1918. Gunner Hart was just 30 yards from Frank when the shell exploded, killing him instantly. He helped to lift him into an ambulance and observed no physical marks on Franks body, concluding that he was killed by the concussion of the explosion. Gunner Brown is buried at Ypres Reservoir Cemetery, plot I, row D, grave 71.
On 24 august 1917 V5A Heavy Trench Mortar and X5A Medium Trench Mortar Batteries brought a heavy trench mortar in position near Grey Ruin on the Frezenberg Ridge (28.D.25.b.6.8). This gun was set up to engage the Borry Farm and Beck House strongholds, about 1 kilometre east of the gun position. In the following days both batteries were moving ammunition from Stanley Dump, east of Vlamertinge, to the mortar on the other side of Ypres.
On the night between the 4th and 5th of September 1917 disaster struck. A party was returning back to camp after carrying ammunition to the heavy trench mortar on the Frezenberg Ridge. They had reached the ruined Post Office in Ypres when suddenly, a German shell landed amid the party, killing and wounding multiple men.
Brown Frank Alfred, aged 31, was one of the men killed on September 5, 1917. Gunner William John Hart, a friend of Frank, described the scene to the Australian Red Cross in December 1918. Gunner Hart was just 30 yards from Frank when the shell exploded, killing him instantly. He helped to lift him into an ambulance and observed no physical marks on Franks body, concluding that he was killed by the concussion of the explosion. Gunner Brown is buried at Ypres Reservoir Cemetery, plot I, row D, grave 71.
Sources 6
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5th Australian Divisional Trench Mortar Officer (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM4 13/93/14). https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1357166 Sources used |
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5th Infantry Brigade (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM4 23/5/27). https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1347529 Sources used |
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Australian Red Cross Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), RCDIG1064166). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used |
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First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920 (National Archives of Australia, Canberra (NAA), B2455, BROWN F A). https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/SearchScreens/NameSearch.aspx. Sources used |
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Unit embarkation nominal rolls, 1914-18 War (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM8). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used |
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X5A Medium Trench Mortar Battery (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), 13/104/3). https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1356879 Sources used |
More information 4
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=0c178990-ba09-4c1d-9fa5-5e0376705786 |
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The AIF Project (UNSW Canberra) https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=34726 |
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/98564 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/7275817 |