Reginald Claude Browne

Submitted by Mt Kembla Minin... on Mon, 02/11/2015 - 09:48

First Name:

Reginald

Middle Name:

Claude

Last Name:

Browne

Date of Birth:

Tuesday, May 23, 1899

Mother's Name:

Susan Matilda nee Beatus

Father's Name:

Frederick William Browne

Date Enlisted:

Tuesday, May 4, 1915

Rank at Enlistment:

Boy

Rank at Discharge:

Stoker

Unit:

HMAS Huon

Service:

Royal Australian Navy

Awards:

British War Medal

Victory Medal

Date of Death:

Saturday, October 26, 1918

Place of Death:

Genoa, Italy

Cause of Death:

Pneumonic influenza

Details:

Reginald Browne (Service No 4854) was born in Wollongong, N.S.W. and lived at nearby Port Kembla when he enlisted for 7 years in the Royal Australian Navy.

Reginald was posted to HMAS Huon, a River Class Torpedo Boat Destroyer, in 1917.

The Huon was the first RAN Ship to be built in Australia at the Cockatoo Dockyard in Sydney. The Huon was sent to the Mediterranian in 1917 and was engaged in patrols there. Reginald Browne was a stoker on board and one of a crew of 69, one of whom was his older brother Ernest, also a stoker.

On 8th August 1918 the Huon was involved in a collision with HMAS Yarra and went into dry dock in Genoa for repairs. While in Genoa the crew were struck down with influenza and 5 crew members died, 2 of whom were Reginald and his brother Ernest. They died within days of each other.

Both brothers are buried in Staglieno Cemetery, Genoa, Italy; Reginald in Plot I, Row C, Grave 22.