First World War
Brown enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in July 1915 and was initially assigned to the 1st Australian Light Horse Regiment, before being transferred to the Imperial Camel Corps in Egypt. After being transferred to France he was assigned to the 55th Battalion, Australian Infantry; 1st and 2nd Field Butcheries, Australian Service Corps; and then, finally, the 20th Battalion, 5th Brigade, 2nd Division. He managed to secure his transfer to the infantry by claiming that he had lost his false teeth, which meant that he had to be removed from the theatre and returned to Egypt, where he was able to attach himself to the infantry reinforcements that were being concentrated there prior to being sent to France to join the 20th Battalion.
His transfer to the 20th Battalion took place in July 1917 and he joined them while they were stationed in the line around St Omer. During September and October 1917, Brown took part in the fighting around Passchendaele and it was for his actions during this time that he was later awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. On 19 October he was promoted to lance corporal. In November he was wounded, however, he returned to his unit shortly after and on 7 April 1918 he was promoted to the rank of corporal.
On 6 July 1918 at Villers-Bretonneux, France he performed the deed for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross: Brown had rushed a machine-gun post armed with a hand grenade, taking one officer and 11 men prisoner under heavy machine-gun fire. After this incident Brown remained at the front until the end of the war, and despite being wounded again in August he was promoted to sergeant on 13 September 1918.
Following the war he was repatriated to Australia in late 1919 before being discharged on medical grounds in February 1920.
Read more about this topic: Walter Brown (VC)
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