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Francis Richard Brown

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Francis Richard Brown is remembered by this plaque in the Old Cemetery in Te Kuiti. I had the privilege of visiting his grave with Stephen Walsh, the son of Tom Walsh, one of his Long Range Desert Group colleagues in November 2016.

Grave marker in the Te Kuiti Cemetery

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Identity

About

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  • Title
  • Forenames
    Francis Richard AWMM
  • Surname
    Brown AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
  • Service number
    8753 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi
  • Hapū
  • Waka
  • Rohe
  • Religion

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
    11 August 1913 AWMM
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
    Pre 22 April 1905 AWMM Rangitoto RD, Te Kuiti, New Zealand AWMM
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    Francis Thomas Brown (father), Rangitoto RD, Te Kuiti, New Zealand AWMM
  • Relationship status
    Pre 5 January 1940 AWMM Single AWMM

Service

Wars and conflicts

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Military decorations

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  • Medals and Awards
    • Military Medal (MM) AWMM
      9 September 1942 AWMM
      'Private Brown, who was attached the Long Range Desert Group from 27 NZ (Machine Gun) Battalion, was responsible for the maintenance of the vehicles in his patrol from its inception in July 1940. From that time the trucks under his care travelled some 40,000 miles, mainly behind enemy lines. In reconnaissance and raids on enemy convoys he showed calmness and exemplary devotion to duty at all times. On one occasion when one of his trucks was damaged a few miles to the north of MICHILI, Libya, he repaired it under fire, thereby enabling his comrades to escape with their vehicle and equipment. His application and skill contributed largely to the successful operation of the Patrol.'. (Source: The National Archives. Recommendation for Award for Brown, Francis Richard. (Ref. WO 373/20/367). Military Medal. AWMM
    • 1939-1945 Star AWMM
    • Africa Star (8th Army clasp) AWMM
    • Italy Star AWMM
    • Defence Medal AWMM
    • War Medal 1939-1945 AWMM
    • New Zealand War Service Medal AWMM

Training and Enlistment

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  • Military training
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
  • Enlistment
    WW2 1939 AWMM
    Age 26 AWMM
    Labourer/Civilian AWMM
    Te Kuiti, Waikato AWMM
  • Occupation before enlistment
  • Age on enlistment

Embarkations

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Prisoner of war

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  • Capture details
  • Days interned
  • Liberation date
  • Liberation Repatriation
  • POW liberation details
  • POW serial number

Medical history

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  • Medical notes

Last known rank

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  • Last rank

Biographical information

Biographical information

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  • Son of Francis Thomas and Margaret Hamilton (nee Brown) Brown

    Brother of James Lawrence (68911), nephew of Martin George Brow (26786); brother in law of Frank Silkstone Roper (66990); 1st cousin of Arnold Victor Driver (49217); William Douglas Driver (49218); Eric Martin Driver (61963) AWMM

Death

About death

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  • Death
    23 December 1944 AWMM
    Age 31 AWMM
    Raetihi, Central Plateau AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
    Te Kuiti Old Public Cemetery, Te Kuiti, New Zealand AWMM RSA Section Row 4 AWMM
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name

Roll of Honour

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Leave a note

Leave a tribute or memory of Francis Richard Brown

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Sources

Sources

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  • External links
    • 'The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the following awards in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the Middle East during the period November 1941 to April 1942.' (London Gazette, 9 September 1942, p.3951.). Military Medal.
      http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/35697/pages/3951
      Further Reference
    • 'Private Brown, who was attached the Long Range Desert Group from 27 NZ (Machine Gun) Battalion, was responsible for the maintenance of the vehicles in his patrol from its inception in July 1940. From that time the trucks under his care travelled some 40,000 miles, mainly behind enemy lines. In reconnaissance and raids on enemy convoys he showed calmness and exemplary devotion to duty at all times. On one occasion when one of his trucks was damaged a few miles to the north of MICHILI, Libya, he repaired it under fire, thereby enabling his comrades to escape with their vehicle and equipment. His application and skill contributed largely to the successful operation of the Patrol.'. (Source: The National Archives. Recommendation for Award for Brown, Francis Richard. (Ref. WO 373/20/367). Military Medal.
      http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=D7359276
      Further Reference
  • Documents
    • Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1941). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 1 (Embarkations to 31st March, 1940). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer. AWMM
      WW2 1: WW2 26 AWMM
    • Kay, R. (1958). 27 (Machine Gun) Battalion. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch. AWMM
    • Information kindly provided by family AWMM

Contributors

Command item
Command item
Add new record Refresh
DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
06 July 2021JohnPebble BeachResearcher
22 November 2016HeatherNapierResearcher

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