Brown, George
No.4303 – Private George Brown – 28th Battalion AIF
George Brown was born in Fremantle Western Australia in 1881 to Edward and Amelia (Milly) Brown. He went to Beaconsfield State School and after leaving school, he became a Sailor, residing at Duke Street East Fremantle. George enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force on the 5th January 1916 and was found to be 5 feet 6 inches in height; weight of 162 lbs; chest measurement of 37 ½ inches; dark complexion, brown eyes and black hair. His religious denomination was Wesleyan.
Initially he was assigned to No.40 Depot until the 1st February 1916, then George was then allotted to the 10th Reinforcements to the 28th Battalion. (pictured above) This group embarked from Fremantle on the H.M.A.T. “Ulysses” on the 1st April 1916 but by the time they arrived in Egypt the 28th Battalion had already arrived in France.
George stayed in Egypt until late May 1916 when he embarked for France. After a period of time at the 2nd Division Base Depot at Etaples George went to join the 28th in the field though on the 21st July 1916 he was punished for being drunk while on active service and was ordered to forfeit 8 days pay and he was assigned to the No.1 Anzac Entrenching Battalion.
George only joined the 28th Battalion on the 2nd August 1916 in time for their 2nd attack at Pozieres. He was wounded in the ankle on the 5th August 1916 and was sent to hospital at Rouen though by late August had recovered and was sent to the Base Depot at Etaples an on the 14th September 1916 had rejoined the 28th Battalion in the vicinity of Ypres.
The 28th were soon back on the Somme and they were soon involved in a failed attack through the mud on the German trenches in early November 1916. Casualties were heavy and George was again wounded, being hit in the arm. The next month he was spent in hospital at Rouen and during December George was at the 2nd Division Base Depot at Etaples. He rejoined the 28th Battalion on the 9th January 1917. He served with the Battalion through the rest of the year, surviving battles such as Bullecourt and Third Ypres unscathed. The only entry in his record for 1917 was in August when he was punished for going AWOL for three hours. He received as a punishment 14 days of Field Punishment No.2.
In February 1918 George was granted leave to England where he spent a fortnight. He served with the 28th Battalion during the German advance of March/April 1918 though on the 4th May he was evacuated sick to hospital at Etaples but was back with the 28th Battalion by the 28th May 1918.
On the 9th July 1918 the 28th Battalion conducted a raid on German positions at Monument Wood at Villers-Bretonneux, the raid was a success though unfortunately George Brown was killed.
His body was recovered and he was buried in Adelaide Cemetery Villers Bretonneux Plot 3.E.5
Pte George Brown’s grave in the background of photo