Brown, Joseph Edward

Lieutenant Joseph Edward Brown MC - 28th Battalion AIF

Joseph Edward Brown was born on the 23rd March 1888 in Toodyay WA to Henry and Mary Brown. He had five siblings, with, Mary 1883, Emma 1886, Gertrude 1895, Leonard 1898 and Kathleen 1904.

He was educated and lived his years in the Toodyay district before moving to North Fremantle in the 1900's.

On the 29th August 1904 joined Western Australian Government Railways as a Clerk and was living at Mary St North Fremantle. (later renamed to Herbert Street). During this time Joseph had also served for two and a half years with the 11th Infantry Regiment in the Citizens Military Forces.

On the 31st December 1915 Joseph enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was found to be fit for enlistment, with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 3 inches tall;

Weight - 110lbs;

Chest Measurement - 30-34 inches;

Complexion - Fresh;

Eyes - Blue;

Hair - Brown.

Upon his successful enlistment Joseph was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp were he was sent into the training depots. It appears he made a good impression as he was promoted to Sergeant while in the depots.

On the 4th April 1916 Joseph was assigned to the 13th Reinforcements to the 28th Battalion. He was given the regimental number 4973 and trained with this group for the next few months.

Sadly on the 16th May 1916 his father Henry James Brown died in Fremantle and so Joseph was given leave to attend to family affairs.

On the 13th July 1916 Joseph and his group entrained for Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Seang Bee. The ship then set sail for England where they arrived at Plymouth on the 9th September 1916.

Joseph and his group were then disembarked and went to the 7th Training Battalion at Rollestone Camp on the Salisbury Plains. He spent the next several weeks here training and on the 2nd November 1916 was sent across to France.

Once he arrived in France he reverted to being a Private as his Sergeants rank was for training and voyage only. On the 18th November 1916 Joseph was taken on strength of the 28th Battalion AIF. They were then situated on the Somme battlefield near Flers.

In January 1917 Joseph was promoted to Corporal and in March 1917 to Lance Sergeant. 

In March 1917 The Germans had begun their withdrawal to their pre-prepared defensive position known as the Hindenburg Line. The 28th Battalion saw action around the village of Lagnicourt on March 26th 1917 and then remained in the front line area for the next month.

On the 7th April 1917 Joseph was promoted to Second Lieutenant. On the 28th April 1917 he went to 7th Brigade for training as a Bombing Officer but returned to the 28th Battalion on the 3rd May 1917 and served with them during the Second Battle of Bullecourt.

After the Bullecourt action, the 28th Battalion were pulled out of the line for a three month rest period. Much of this time was taken up training and sporting activities. Joseph was now made transport officer for his unit. For experience as a transport officer he was detached for duty with the 17th Company Australian Army Service Corps for a week early in September 1917.

During the Third Battle of Ypres in September and October 1917 Joseph organised all his battalions transport activities. He was awarded the Military Cross for his actions at this time. The official recommendation reads;

As Transport Officer 2nd Lieut Brown at all times during the recent operations at Ypres showed great gallantry and devotion to duty. He at all times went forward with ration parties and ammunition parties under very heavy shellfire. His utter disregard of fear and his devotion to duty set a splendid example to the men under his command.

Joseph was then promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and on the 20th October 1917 was given a two week furlough to England. Upon rejoining the Battalion he resumed his duties as Transport Officer.

The 28th battalion remained in Belgium from December 1917 to March 1918. On the 23rd January 1918 Joseph was seconded to the Divisional Transport School. He spent a month there and then rejoined his unit on the 23rd February 1918.

On the 21st March 1918 the Germans broke through the British line further south and so the Australian Divisions in Belgium were sent south to the Somme to help stop this advance.

The 28th Battalion came into contact with the Germans near Ville-sur-Ancre on the Somme. They spent the next few months in the vicinity of Morlancourt, fighting a large battle there on June 10th 1918. They were then moved to the Villers-Bretonneux sector and captured Monument Wood near Villers-Bretonneux in July 1918.

On the 14th July 1918 Joseph went on a two week furlough to Paris but returned to his unit on the 27th July 1918.

Joseph served with his unit through the next month, and participated in the August 8th attack from Villers-Bretonneux which smashed through the German lines.

The 28th Battalion participated in several actions over the next few weeks, most notably at Peronne and Mont St Quentin.  The 28th Battalion was in action until October 4th 1918 when they fought at Montbrehain. However on the 15th September 1918 Joseph had been granted leave to the UK but rejoined his unit on the 3rd October 1918 so saw the Battalion's final action of the war.

After the action at Montbrehain, the 28th Battalion were withdrawn from the line for a well deserved rest.

The 28th Battalion were still out of the front line when the Armistice was announced on the 11th November 1918. After the Germans withdrew back to their own borders the Australians were sent into what had been German occupied parts of Belgium and France. The 28th Battalion went to the Charleroi area in Belgium.

Joseph remained with his battalion till the 9th May 1919. He was then returned to England.

On the 1st June 1919 Joseph boarded the transport ship Somali and set sail for home, reaching Fremantle on the 8th July 1919. Joseph was discharged from the AIF on the 22nd August 1919.

In 1919 in Fremantle Joseph married May Elsie Brown and they took up residence in Davies Road North Fremantle. (later renamed to Staples Street)

A son Edward was born in 1920 and daughter Irene in 1923 followed by Shirley in 1928.

Joseph resumed his career as a clerk and in the 1930's the family moved to Subiaco.

Joseph's Mother Mary died in Fremantle on the 15th May 1936.

By 1943 the Brown family were living at Caledonian Ave Maylands.

Joseph Brown died on the 10th June 1969 in Lesmurdie WA aged 81. He was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery.

(photo courtesy of family ancestry site)