Robert Marshall Brain (1904 - 1942)

Born 1904 in Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia

Ancestors

Died 1 Jul 1942 at about age 38 in At Sea

Biography

Robert Brain was a Prisoner of War during World War II.

Robert Brain died as a prisoner of war on the Montevideo Maru during the Second World War.

Robert Marshall Brain was born in 1904 in Hawthorne, Victoria, the son of Herbert Brain and Maude Marshall.

In 1926 he was a survey assistant working for the Victorian Electricity Commission at Rubicon Valley.^[1]

He married Lucie (Lucy) Agnes Tossol at St Francis Church, Lonsdale St, Melbourne, Victoria on 19 Dec 1927^[2]. There was 1 child - Betty, born in 1929.^[3]. He was working for the Victorian State Electricity Commission at Rubicon at the time.^[4]

It appears he was a construction engineer. In 1934 he was living at St Kilda, VIC when he was the successful tenderer for an upgrade to a section of the South Gippsland Highway.^[5]

He may have first arrived in the Territory of New Guinea in July 1935.^[6][7] In 1935 he was appointed construction engineer for Upper Watut Gold Alluvials N.L. near Salamaua in New Guinea.^[8] In 1935 he was representing Mount Lawson Prospecting and Option Syndicate N.L. as well as Upper Watut Gold Alluvials N.L. (no liability) at a conference of New Guinea mine managers.^[9]

He enlisted in the New Guinea Volunteer Rifles in Rabaul, Territory of New Guinea as the threat of Japanese invasion approached. The NGVR was a volunteer Militia unit associated with the Australian Army, but was not part of the Australian Army until 08 Dec 1941, the day after war was declared between Japan and Australia. He was Cpl (NG4044). He was called to active service on 21 Jan 1942, 2 days before the Japanese landings on New Britain.

When the Japanese invaded on 23 Jan 1942, it appears he was among the defending force at Raluana Beach.^[10] he was captured near Kokopo and became a Prisoner of War., initially held at Rabaul. He died on board the "Montevideo Maru" when it was torpedoed and sunk off the coast of the Philippines on 01 Jul 1942, en route from Rabaul to Hainan where he was destined for forces labour.

He was posthumously enrolled in the 2nd AIF as NGX502.

Sources

1. ↑ "Nearly 400 Men Are Engaged in the Rubicon Valley, harnessing thre[?] to run a great Hydro-Electric Plant, for the Electricity Commission" Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954) 27 November 1926: 46. Web. 24 Dec 2019 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article223842081>. (photo)
2. ↑ Family Notices (1928, January 27). Alexandra and Yea Standard and Yarck, Gobur, Thornton and Acheron Express (Vic. : 1908 - 1949), p. 3. Retrieved December 24, 2019, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64697278
3. ↑ Family Notices (1929, May 22). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 1. Retrieved December 24, 2019, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4007658
4. ↑ Social at Rubicon. (1927, December 23). Alexandra and Yea Standard and Yarck, Gobur, Thornton and Acheron Express (Vic. : 1908 - 1949), p. 2. Retrieved December 24, 2019, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64697197
5. ↑ COUNTRY ROADS BOARD TENDERS (1934, September 22). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 25. Retrieved December 24, 2019, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10983721
6. ↑ SAILED BY THE NEPTUNA. (1935, June 29). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 19. Retrieved December 24, 2019, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article29536907
7. ↑ OTHER MINING NEWS (1935, November 22). The Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954), p. 5. Retrieved December 24, 2019, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article244770920
8. ↑ Is It Farewell To “Beach Wireless”? (23 July 1935). (1935-07-23). In Pacific islands monthly : PIM. V (12), - https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/234074652
9. ↑ N.G. MINE MANAGERS Official Conference (24 September 1935). (1935-09-24). In Pacific islands monthly : PIM. VI (2), - https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/234074929
10. ↑ NEW GUINEA HOME GUARD. (1946, January 26). The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), p. 10. Retrieved December 24, 2019, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article50322574

• Birth - Victoria BDM Birth index - Event: births; Registration number: 10834 / 1904; Family name: BRAIN; Given name(s): Robt Marshall; Place of event: HAWTHORN, Australia; Personal detail Mother's name: Maude Sturrock; Mother's family name at birth: MARSHALL; Father's Name: Herbt Ernst

• Marriage - Victoria BDM Marriage index - Event: marriages; Registration number: 11464 / 1927; Family name: BRAIN; Given name(s): Robt Marshall; Personal detail Spouse's family name: ROSSOL; Spouse's given name(s): Lucie Agnes

• WW2 Australian Army Service File - National Archives of Australia - BRAIN ROBERT MARSHALL : Service Number - NGX502 [NG4044] : Date of birth - Unknown : Place of birth - Unknown : Place of enlistment - T N G : Next of Kin - BRAIN LUCIE - http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=5890174

• Deaths On Active Service - Family Notices (1945, November 20). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 8. Retrieved December 24, 2019, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article205654333

• Roll of Honour - Australian War Memorial - https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1694420

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission - https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2615415/robert-marshall-brain/

• Virtual War Memorial Australia: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/620897

• The Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial https://www.powmemorialballarat.com.au/prisoners-of-war/brain-robert-marshall/