Browne, Richard Harding
620 Private Richard Harding (Walter) Browne - 44th Battalion AIF
Richard Harding Walter Browne was born in Melbourne Victoria to William and Annie Browne in 1890. The family soon moved to Western Australia and took up residence in Kalgoorlie. Richard attended Kalgoorlie State School and after leaving school he took up work with the Kalgoorlie Railways. Richard was soon employed by Fremantle Tramways as a Tram Conductor during which time he was living in High Street Fremantle.
On the 11th January 1916 Richard enlisted into the AIF. He was given a medical examination and was found to be 5 feet 8 ½ inches in height; weight of 135 lbs; chest measurement of 34-36 inches; dark complexion; brown eyes and brown hair. His religious denomination was Church of England. Initially assigned to No.45 Depot, Richard was allotted to C Company of the 44th Battalion on the 1st February 1916.
The battalion trained in Western Australia until the 6th June 1916 when they embarked from Fremantle on the H.M.A.T. “Suevic”. Arriving in Plymouth England on the 21st July 1916, the 44th Battalion was sent to the 3rd Division Training Camp on the Salisbury Plains. They would train at Larkhill on the Plains for the next few months. On the 3rd November 1916, Richard went AWOL for 13 hours before he returned to camp. As a punishment he was fined 1 days pay and was admonished by Captain Peat. On the 16th November Richard was admitted to Fargo Military Hospital with Catarrh but had recovered by the 22nd November which was fortunate for him as the battalion embarked for France on the 25th November 1916.
Sent to the sector around Armentieres they would spend the winter months in this area learning the ropes of trench warfare. On the 5th January 1917 in what could have been a tragic accident Richard was slightly wounded when No.658 Pte N Sailam accidentally discharged his rifle while unloading. Fortunately it was only a flesh wound and after being treated at the 9th Field Ambulance he returned to duty.
The Battalion soon moved to the Ploegsteert sector where they would prepare for their part in the Battle of Messines on the 7th June 1917. However on the 27th April 1917 Richard was evacuated to hospital sick with a suspected case of measles, though he rejoined the Battalion on the 15th May.
The 44th Battalion played their part in the Battle of Messines and captured their objectives but was caught in a heavy barrage of German and allied fire. Casualties to the 43rd & 44th Battalions were heavy. Richard was wounded in the left breast on the 8th June and was evacuated back to the 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station and then on to No.8 General Hospital at Rouen. His wound was deemed serious enough for evacuation to France and on the 15th June he embarked for England. Admitted to the Military Hospital at Bethnall Green, he would spend eleven days as a patient here before being transferred to 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford.
Richard was improving in health and on the 3rd July 1917 was granted a period of furlough after which he would need to report to No.1 Command Depot at Perham Downs on the 16th July 1917. He reported on time and stayed here till the 22nd July when he was classified with a fitness level of B1. He remained at Perham Downs till the 24th August when he marched out to the Overseas Training Brigade.
On the 17th September 1917 Richard was included for a draft for France, arriving at the 3rd Australian Division Base Depot at Rouelles on the 18th September 1917. A further week was spent here and he reached the 44th Battalion on the 25th September 1917. He arrived back just in time for the 44th’s role in the Third Battle of Ypres. The 44th took part in the Battle of Broodseinde Ridge on October 4th; casualties were heavy though Richard survived the assault. They continued to hold their gains till the 6th October 1917. While they were being relieved from the front the Germans sent over some shells; shrapnel struck Richard in his temple, going right through his head and he was killed instantly. As the battalion was leaving Richard’s body was unfortunately left where it had fallen though it was thought by members of his battalion that the burial parties nearby would have buried him in the vicinity of the swamp on Zonnebeke Ridge. The ground was such that even stretcher bearers had a hard time going through this area. The result is that Richard Browne has no known grave and as such is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres.
His mother, Annie Browne, living in Merredin would receive a pension after her son’s death of 40/- per fortnight.