BROWNE, Stewart Alexander

BROWNE, Stewart Alexander – A Southern Downs Veteran

CONFLICT : WWI
SERVICE NO : 460
RANK : Private
UNIT : 9th Battalion
ENLISTMENT DATE : 25/08/1914
AGE : 24
PLACE OF ENLISTMENT : Warwick, Queensland
PLACE OF BIRTH : Dalveen, Queensland
RELIGION : Roman Catholic
OCCUPATION : Grazier
DATE OF DEATH : 1/05/1936
PLACE OF BURIAL : Herberton, Queensland

MEMORIALS : Dalveen WWI Honour Boards, Stanthorpe Soldiers Memorial Rolls of Honor

View Veteran’s Service File : BROWNE, Stewart Alexander

NOTES :

Stewart Alexander Browne was born in Dalveen and was one of ten children born to Michael Patrick and Margaret Matilda Browne of Mt Janet, Dalveen. His birth record registration is in the name of Alexander Stewart Browne. His schooling was undertaken at the Mt Janet Provisional School near Dalveen where seven of his siblings were amongst the first students to attend the school when it opened on January 26, 1898. The first school teacher, Jane McDonald boarded with the Browne family.

Growing up surrounded by rich fertile grazing land, it was not surprising when Stewart decided to become a grazier himself after leaving school. While not a member of any home forces, Stewart was a member of the rifle club and considered a fine marksman.

With the outbreak of the First World War, his brothers Thomas McDonald Browne 299 KIA and Charles Smith 238 were the first two men from the town to enlist. One month later his brother Frederick Robert Browne also enlisted. In February 1917 the fourth son of Michael and Margaret Browne, William Michael Browne 3256 enlisted in Toowoomba.

A mistake was made on the Nominal Roll where his name was entered as Stuart instead of Alexander Stewart. One short month after enlisting on September 24, 1914, his Unit embarked on board the transport A5 Omrah headed for Gallipoli.

It is recorded on his service file where on February 1, 1915 Stewart was admitted to No 2 General Hospital suffering from pneumonia following a bout of measles. Upon his recovery he rejoined the 9th Battalion on the Gallipoli Peninsula on July 10, 1915. Wounded in action on August 2, 1915, he was transported to St Patricks Hospital in Malta suffering from a bullet wound to his left hand after a periscope he was holding was hit by a shell burst. At a later stage he was diagnosed with neurasthenia (sheer exhaustion) and heart trouble. Stewart was invalided to Australia aboard HS Karoola on January 20, 1916 for six months rest. His discharge was issued on June 7, 1916.

Upon his return home from the war, Stewart found it difficult to find work apart from the occasional short job of droving around the Warwick area and spent most of his time helping out on the family property at Mt Janet, Dalveen. His death certificate shows he died at the Wondecla Showgrounds just outside Herberton. An inquest was held into his death and he was buried in an unmarked grave the day he died.

In 2023, the Herberton RSL Sub Branch placed a headstone on his previously unmarked grave.

Read about Southern Downs Military History here.