Leslie Milner Brown (1920 - 1942)

Born 3 Aug 1920 in South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Ancestors

Died 1 Jul 1942 at age 21 in At Sea

Biography

Leslie Brown was a Prisoner of War during World War II.

Leslie Brown died as a prisoner of war on the Montevideo Maru during the Second World War.

Leslie Milner Brown was born on 3 August 1920 in South Melbourne, VIC, the son of Hubert Leslie and Ruby Margurite Brown.

He enlisted in the Australian Army Militia at Royal Park, Melbourne, VIC on 03 Mar 1941 as a Gunner (V11736) in the Royal Australian Artillery Coastal Command. At the time he was single, a salesman and was living with his father at Ivanhoe, VIC. He had brown hair and blue eyes.

He was transferred to "L" Force on 21 Mar 1941 and embarked on the "Zealandia" in Sydney on 18 Apr 1941 for Rabaul, New Britain in the Territory of New Guinea, disembarking there on 26 Apr 1941 as part of "Lark Force" Royal Australian Artillery, Rabaul Heavy Battery, protecting the harbour.

The battery was destroyed by Japanese bombing ahead of the invasion on 23 Jan 1942.

He was captured after the invasion at Keravat 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 forced labour.

He was posthumously enrolled in the 2nd AIF as VX129377.

Sources

• Birth - Victoria BDM Birth index - Event: births; Registration number: 23998 / 1920; Family name: BROWN; Given name(s): Leslie Milner; Place of event: SOUTH MELBOURNE, VIC, Australia; Personal detail Mother's name: Ruby Margt; Mother's family name at birth: EATON; Father's Name: Hubert Leslie

• WW2 Australian Army Service File - National Archives of Australia - BROWN LESLIE MILNER : Service Number - VX129377 : Date of birth - 03 Aug 1920 : Place of birth - MELBOURNE : Place of enlistment - ROYAL PARK : Next of Kin - BROWN HUBERT - http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=6082054

• Deaths On Active Service - Family Notices (1945, October 10). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 2. Retrieved May 17, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12146231

• Roll of Honour - Australian War Memorial - https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1693397

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission - https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2615430/brown,-leslie-milner/

• Virtual War Memorial Australia: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/621380

• The Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial https://www.powmemorialballarat.com.au/prisoners-of-war/brown-leslie-milner/