Military Cross : Captain D R Brown, 4 Battalion, AIF

Military Cross (Geo V). Unnamed as issued.

David Richmond Brown was born in 1893. He entered the Royal Military College, Duntroon and had recently graduated as an officer when the First World War broke out. He was appointed a lieutenant in the AIF on 14 August 1914 and posted to 4 Battalion. He sailed on 20 October in the first Australian convoy to Egypt aboard HMAT Euripides, arriving on 2 December. Brown landed with his battalion at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915. On 15 May he received a gunshot wound to the shoulder and neck, and was evacuated to the Deaconess Hospital in Alexandria. Brown rejoined his battalion at Gallipoli on 11 June.

At Lone Pine, on 6 August 1915, he was able to bring the only surviving machine gun and crew from the battalion across the Turkish front line to support 3 Battalion at Sasse's Sap. The gun became the centre of a storm of Turkish fire, killing the guards and killing or wounding the Australian crew. The machine gun itself was also damaged and Brown was attempting to repair it when he too was wounded, in the thigh, by an exploding grenade. Brown was evacuated to Alexandria and then England for treatment, before rejoining his battalion in Egypt on 20 January 1916. He had been promoted to captain in the previous December.

Brown moved with his battalion to France and was promoted to major in July 1916. He was awarded the Military Cross for actions over two days at Pozieres/Mouquet Farm in 1916. The recommendation for the award reads, 'Major (then Capt.) David Richmond BROWN. At POZIERES, FRANCE, on 18/19th. August 1916. In spite of an intense bombardment on our front and support lines which killed 10 and wounded 20 of Major BROWN's Company which was only 90 strong, he carried out his orders to advance and seize an enemy strong point in advance of our line. Many of the bombs and stores collected for the attack were buried and owing to the enemy's barrage fire our Engineers were unable to reach him at first but he organised the digging of a new trench to the quarry on his left.

The enemy continued to try to envelope the flanks of his party and to counter attack with strong bombing parties from 9 pm until 2.30 am, when the Engineers were able to reach Major BROWN bringing urgently needed supplies of bombs. He installed machine guns and held the post in the face of determined attacks and heavy fire until 6 am. Major BROWN's men were wearied by three full days work in the trenches under shell fire and at 9 am they again repulsed counter attacks, in which the enemy's bombers and riflemen suffered severely. Major BROWN continued to direct the operation and to report on its progress.' Although the recommendation for this award specifically mentions Pozieres, the Australian Official History of the War (Vol III) places the action at Point 55, just south of Mouquet Farm. Brown was further mentioned in despatches on 7 April 1918.

He survived the war and returned to Australia on 9 March 1919. His appointment with the AIF was terminated in July 1919. Brown retrained as a doctor and enlisted for service in the Second World War on 24 July 1940, with the Australian Army Medical Corps, with the service number N74860. He was discharged and placed on the Reserve of Officers in December 1943.