Walter Ernest Brown | |
|---|---|
&sq=Qlik&lang=&file=File:Walter_Ernest_Brown_VC.jpg) Walter Ernest Brown | |
| Born | 3 July 1885 New Norfolk, Tasmania, Australia |
| Died | 28 February 1942 (aged 56) Rengat, Dutch East Indies |
| Allegiance | Australia |
| Service/ | Australian Army |
| Years of service | 1915–20 1940–42 |
| Rank | Sergeant (WW1) Gunner (WW2) |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Victoria Cross Distinguished Conduct Medal |
Walter Ernest Brown, VC, DCM (3 July 1885 – 28 February 1942) was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to members of the British and Commonwealth forces. He was born in Tasmania and worked as a grocer before enlisting in the Australian Army in 1915, following the outbreak of First World War. Initially he was sent to Egypt where he served in the Australian Service Corps before being transferred to the Western Front where he served in the infantry with the 20th Battalion. In July 1918, during the fighting at Villers-Bretonneux he single-handedly destroyed a German machine-gun post, taking a number of prisoners in the process. For this act he was awarded the Victoria Cross. He was also later awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for a previous act of bravery.
Following the war, Brown was repatriated to Australia and returned to civilian life. When the Second World War began, he lied about his age and previous experience in order to re-enlist in the Second Australian Imperial Force, this time serving in the Royal Australian Artillery. In 1942 Brown's unit, the 2/15th Field Regiment, participated in the Malayan campaign following the Japanese invasion of Malaya, and retreated to Singapore. The garrison at Singapore surrendered on 15 February 1942. Brown is believed to have been killed subsequently, with his date of death given as 28 February 1942,[1] although his body has never been recovered.