The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (1682) Private James Brown, 47th Battalion, AIF, First World War.

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Chirs Widenbar, the story for this day was on, (1682) Private James Brown, 47th Battalion, AIF, First World War.

1682 Private James Brown, 47th Battalion, AIF
KIA 25 September 1916

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private James Brown.

James Brown and his twin brother, Raymond, were born about 1894 to Raymond and Ann Brown of Nanango, a rural town 150 kilometres north-west of central Brisbane.

After attending Leichardt Street State School in Brisbane, James went on to work as a labourer. In July 1915, he was employed as a timber worker when a recruitment drive came through Nanango.

James ¬– who had been a member of the cadets and the naval reserve – and six of his co-workers enlisted that same day. They were given an enthusiastic send off and left for Brisbane shortly afterwards.

Some initial training in Australia followed before Private Brown boarded the troopship Demosthenes, bound for the Middle East.

Originally allotted to reinforcements to the 31st Battalion, after landing in Egypt Brown was transferred to the 47th Battalion, which had been raised as part of the expansion of the AIF. About half of its new recruits were Gallipoli veterans from the 15th Battalion, while the other half were fresh reinforcements from Australia, like Brown.

After training in the desert camps on the outskirts of Cairo, the 47th Battalion arrived in in France in June, entering the trenches of the Western Front for the first time on 3 July.

The conditions in the trenches had an immediate impact on Brown, who reported sick with a swollen and septic knee. He was admitted to hospital for treatment, but was back with his unit in time to participate in his first major battle at Pozieres. The 47th Battalion provided working parties during the 2nd Division’s attack on 4 August, and then went on to defend the ground that had been captured.

On 20 September, Brown and his battalion left Alberta Camp – where they had training and resting – and moved into positions at the front line. The troops would remain here for just under a week, at which point they were to be relieved by the 45 Battalion.

Private Brown would not return with them. On 25 September 1916, the 22-year-old was killed in action.

He was buried at Voormezeele Enclosure No. 3, four kilometres from Ypres in Belgium, underneath the epitaph chosen by his twin brother: “He gave his all that we may be free.”

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Private James Brown, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Duncan Beard
Editor, Military History Section