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Edmond Hepple Brown MID

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Edmond Hepple Brown MID
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Personal Information
Date of Birth 20 Mar 1914
Place of Birth Subiaco, Western Australia
Death 27 May 1984, aged 70
Place of Death Bunbury, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment 25 years, 6 months
Description 6'0" (1.83m) tall ; 204lbs
92.533 kg
; fair complexion ; blue eyes ; light brown hair ; marks on both shoulders and below right knee
Occupation Orchardist
Religion Church of England
Address River road, Kelmscott, Western Australia
Next of Kin Father , Mr William Hepple Brown
Military Information
Reg Number WX1188
Date of Enlistment 7 Nov 1939
Rank Captain
Unit/Formation 6th Australian Infantry Division Signals Company
Military Movement
1st Departure from Australia
Journey Dates 20 Apr 1940 ‒ 18 May 1940
Transport Details HMT Y3 Nevasa Fremantle to Kantara
Return to Australia
Journey Dates 12 Mar 1942 ‒ 27 Mar 1942
Transport Details unknown Egypt to Colombo
Journey Dates 11 Jul 1942 ‒ 4 Aug 1942
Transport Details SS Athlone Castle Colombo to Melbourne
2nd Departure from Australia
Journey Dates 21 Sep 1942 ‒ 29 Sep 1942
Transport Details unknown Brisbane to New Guinea
Return to Australia
Journey Dates 7 Feb 1943 ‒ 9 Feb 1943
Transport Details SS Canberra Port Moresby to Cairns
3rd Departure from Australia
Journey Dates 9 Dec 1944 ‒ 15 Dec 1944
Transport Details SS Van Heutsz Cairns to Aitape, New Guinea
Return to Australia
Journey Dates 13 May 1945 ‒ 13 May 1945
Transport Details plane Nadzab, New Guinea to Townsville
Post War Details
Fate Returned to Australia
Medals Mentioned in Despatches
1939-45 Star
Africa Star
Pacific Star
Defence Medal
War Medal 1939-45
Australian Service Medal 1939-45



Pre War

28 Nov 1932 - 17 Feb 1933 & 28 Nov 1933 - 22 Dec 1933 A University Student employed by the WAGR Mechanical Division at the Midland Junction workshops during vacations. In 1936 he was living in River road, Kelmscott working as an orchardist.

War Service

Edmond enlisted at Subiaco on 7 Nov 1939. The next day he was taken on strength by the 2/3rd Australian Field Company and on 8 Dec 1939 he entrained in Northam for Sydney where he joined them at Ingleburn ten days later. Edmond was granted pre-embarkation leave in WA from 16 - 31 Mar 1940, and on 20 Apr 1940 he embarked on HMT Y3 Nevasa for Kantara in Egypt, disembarking there on 18 May 1940.


On 9 Jul 1940 Edmond was transferred to the 6th Australian Infantry Division Signals Company which on 22 Aug 1940 assessed him as a Trade Group II Linesman. Edmond undertook training at the 1st Australian Corps School of Signals in Palestine from 21 Mar - 12 Apr 1941 before returning to his unit on 8 May 1941. On 1 Jul 1941 Edmond was appointed Lance Corporal, and he attended another Signals training course from 11 Jul until 1 Aug 1941. On 3 Aug 1941 Edmond was promoted Acting Corporal, with that rank confirmed on 14 Feb 1942.


On 12 Mar 1942 Edmond embarked for Colombo in Ceylon (Sri Lanka), disembarking there on 27 Mar 1942. He was subsequently embarked aboard SS Athlone Castle for Melbourne on 11 Jul 1942, disembarking in Melbourne on 4 Aug 1942. On 15 Sep 1942 Edmond was promoted Acting Sergeant before embarking in Brisbane on 21 Sep 1942 for Port Moresby, disembarking there on 29 Sep 1942. Soon after, on 2 Oct 1942, Edmond was promoted to Lieutenant.


From 15 Dec 1942 until 3 Feb 1943 Edmond was detached to the 7th Australian Division Signals Company, returning to his parent unit in time to board SS Canberra in Port Moresby on 7 Feb 1943 for Brisbane, disembarking there on 9 Feb 1943. However, on 15 Apr 1943 Edmond was admitted to the 110th Australian Base Hospital in Hollywood, Western Australia. Discharged by them on 4 May 1943, he entrained for Brisbane on 8 May 1943


On 24 May 1943 Edmond rejoined his unit in Queensland. He was admitted to the 2/3rd Australian Casualty Clearing Station with Malaria on 6 Jul 1943, before returning to his unit on 19 Jul 1943 as the Officer Commanding 'D' Section. On 28 Sep 1943 Edmond was again suffering a Malaria attack, and he was admitted to the 109th Australian Casualty Clearing Station, returning to his unit on 12 Oct 1943. On 11 Dec 1943 Edmond married Leila Betty Wellman (1918 - 2000) in Perth, but suffered another Malaria bout from 14 Feb 1944. He was admitted to the 104th Australian Casualty Clearing Station before being transferred on 15 Feb 1944 to the 2/2nd Australian General Hospital. He returned to his unit on 29 Feb 1944 where he was promoted Temporary Captain on 14 Apr 1944, rank that was confirmed on 28 Apr 1944.


From 8 - 30 Jun 1944 Edmond attended the School of Mechanisation Conversion for a Conversion Course for Signals Vehicles, and a refresher course for Signals Officers from 25 Sep - 18 Nov 1944 at Bonegilla in Victoria. Returned to his unit, he embarked in Cairns aboard SS Van Heutsz on 9 Dec 1944, disembarking at Aitape, New Guinea on 15 Dec 1944.


On 9 Mar 1945 Edmond was evacuated to the 104th Australian Casualty Clearing Station suffering with Tinea Circinata. he was transferred the same day to the 2/11th Australian General Hospital where he was treated until 1 Apr 1945 when he was released to the 6th Australian Division Reception Camp. On 4 May 1945 Edmond was again admitted to the 104th Australian Casualty Clearing Station, this time with dermatitis to the legs and crutch. He was transferred the next day to the 2/11th Australian General Hospital, followed with another transfer on 8 May 1945 to the 2/7th Australian General Hospital. Unable to be successfully treated in New Guinea, on 13 May 1945 he was transferred by air from Nadzab in New Guinea, to the 2/14th Australian General Hospital in Townsville.


They transferred him to the 3rd Australian Camp Hospital on 15 May 1945, and on 18 May 1945 Edmond was placed on an Ambulance Train in Townsville for the 115th Australian Military Hospital at Heidelberg in Victoria, enroute to the 110th Australian Base Hospital in Western Australia where he arrived on 27 May 1945. Treated, he was discharged from the hospital on 17 Aug 1945, and medically classified now as 'B1 Skin'. Sent to the Western Command Recruit Reception & General Details Depot for reassignment, on 19 Sep 1945 he was medically reclassified to 'B2 Skin' and was transferred on 28 Sep 1945 to the reserved List, and finally on 30 Apr 1961 the Retired List.

Award Comment

Mention in Despatches for distinguished services in the South-West Pacific area.[1][2]

Post War

Children: Barbara Annette Brown (1946 - 1958); plus 2 sons and another daughter

Electoral Roll entries: 1949 River road, Kelmscott, orchardist; 1958 - 1963 Guppy street, Pemberton, storekeeper; 1977-80 Short street, Eaton, retired.

Notes

  1. Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, 21 Feb 1946 on page 410, position 18
  2. London Gazette 14 Feb 1946 on page 944 position 43

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