Patrick Thomas Leopold Browne (1912 - 1942)

Born 25 Dec 1912 in Chatswood, New South Wales, Australia

Died 1 Jul 1942 at age 29 in At Sea

Biography

Patrick Browne was a Prisoner of War during World War II.

Patrick Browne died as a prisoner of war on the Montevideo Maru during the Second World War.

Patrick Thomas Leopold Browne was born in 1912 at Chatswood, Sydney, NSW, the fourth son of Mark and Mary Caroline Annie Browne.

When Patrick enlisted in the Australian Army in 1941 he gave his occupation as a planter and had prior military service as a Cpl (2043) with 1st Coy, French Colonial Army, so had probably lived and worked in New Caledonia for a time during the 1930's.

He enlisted in the Australian Army for overseas service at Paddington, NSW on 20 Feb 1941 as a Private (NX68349). At the time he was single, a planter and gave his address as his parents' place in Balgowlah, NSW. He had dark brown hair and hazel eyes.

Following training he was transferred to No. 1 Independent Coy (a commando unit) on 12 May 1941.

He embarked on HMAT "Zealandia" on 12 Jul 1941 for Kavieng, New Ireland in the Territory of New Guinea, disembarking there on 29 Jul 1941.

When the Japanese invaded New Ireland on 23 Jan 1942 he was probably with the bulk of the Coy who escaped overland to Kaut on the south coast and boarded the "Induna Star" on 29 Jan 1942 before making their way along the coast of New Ireland heading to Rabaul. When they learned that Rabaul had fallen and hearing that the Japanese had landed to the east of them (false) the ship sailed south. It was spotted by a Japanese aircraft, bombed and taken under tow by a Japanese destroyer on 02 Feb 1942 and entered Rabaul on 03 Feb 1942 where he became a Prisoner of War, initially held at Rabaul. The Japanese record shows he was captured at sea and was a machine gunner.

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.

Sources

• Birth - NSW BDM Birth index - BROWNE PATRICK T; 6298/1915; MARK; MARY C; CHATSWOOD

• WW2 Australian Army Service File - National Archives of Australia - BROWNE PATRICK THOMAS LEOPOLD : Service Number - NX68349 : Date of birth - 25 Dec 1914 : Place of birth - SYDNEY NSW : Place of enlistment - PADDINGTON NSW : Next of Kin - BROWNE MAY - http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=4646531

• Roll of Honour - Family Notices (1945, October 13). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 30. Retrieved March 7, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17956155

• Roll of Honour - Australian War Memorial - https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1693253

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission - https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2615436/browne,-patrick-thomas-leopold/

• Virtual War Memorial Australia: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/621489

• The Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial https://www.powmemorialballarat.com.au/prisoners-of-war/browne-patrick-thomas-leopold/