Brown, William Gordon Condrill
No.3776 – Private William Gordon Brown – 51st Battalion AIF
William Gordon Condrill Brown was born at Prahan Victoria in 1890 to Charles and Margaret Brown. In 1887, a brother Charles Findley Brown had been born and in 1892, a brother named Reg Weaver Brown was born, also in Prahan but soon after his birth the family moved to Western Australia and took up residence at 14 George Street South Fremantle. (In 1921 George Street was renamed to Gold St).
Unfortunately, William's father, Charles James Brown, died in South Fremantle shortly after their arrival in 1903.
William was educated at Beaconsfield State School and after leaving took up work with the WA Government Railways where he worked as a shunter. On the 20th November 1915, William offered his services to the AIF and the medical examiner found him to be 5 feet 5 & ¾ inches in height; weight of 135 lbs; chest measurement of 34-36 inches; fresh complexion; brown hair and dark brown eyes. His religious denomination was Congregational.
Initially assigned to No.37 Depot, William was attached to the 9th Reinforcements to the 28th Battalion on the 16th December 1915. This group trained in WA until their departure from Fremantle aboard the HMAT ”Miltiades” on the 12th February 1916. Upon arrival in Egypt William’s reinforcement group were sent to the 7th Training Battalion at Serapeum but with the expansion of the AIF many reinforcements ended up going to different units. William was thus assigned to the new 51st Battalion AIF which had been formed from half of the 11th Battalion AIF. The 51st Battalion trained in Egypt until early June 1916 when they embarked for France from Alexandria. Arriving at Marseilles on the 12th June 1916, the 51st Battalion was sent to the north of France in the region of Fleurbaix. Here they gained experience of trench warfare. In early July the Germans launched a large artillery barrage on the 51st’s sector in retaliation for a trench raid in a neighbouring sector. The 51st had over 100 casualties, though William came through unscathed.
The 51st were soon relieved by 5th Division units and were sent down to the Somme. The 51st as part of the 4th Division would further the gains already made by the 1st & 2nd Divisions. The 51st Battalion first went into the line at Pozieres in mid-August and tried to advance towards Mouquet farm. Their assault against Mouquet Farm was not successful and after taking heavy casualties they were relieved. They were again ordered to attack the Farm on the 3rd September 1916. The 51st captured parts of the objective but due to their flanks not being cleared the Germans were able to surround the two companies of the 51st Battalion. Only a few returned to their own lines and the 51st Battalion men that had been surrounded were either killed or taken prisoner. William was first reported as wounded in action and it seems he may have been slightly wounded but returned to join his mates to go over the top with them. Nothing more was heard of him and he was reported missing. This caused much heartache for his family as a letter to the Army authorities’ shows when they plead with them to let them know as all other men from the battle seem to have been either listed as killed or were prisoners of war. It wasn’t until a Court of Enquiry was held on the 30th July 1917 that William was pronounced as killed in action.
A Memorial Cross was erected at Mouquet Farm by the 51st Battalion to their fallen mates but William’s actual burial place was unknown. War graves parties scoured the battlefield for soldier’s remains after the war, and in 1923 William’s battlefield grave was actually located at map reference 57-R27-C.8.1. He was identified through his identity disc and inscribed silver watch. The British War Graves parties reburied William in Bouzincourt Ridge Cemetery near Albert in plot II.M.21.
In 1924 Margaret Brown wrote to the authorities;
“I wish to thank you for the care taken to return my son’s watch & to express the appreciation of the work done by the Imperial War Graves Commission. After a lapse of 7 years it certainly speaks volumes for the thoroughness with which this duty is being performed”.
Margaret requested that the following epitaph be placed on William’s grave;
“Loved son of Margaret and the late CJ Brown South Fremantle WA”.