William Frazer Brown

First Name: 
William
Middle Name: 
Frazer/ Fraser
Last Name: 
Brown
Mother's Name: 
Mary Ellen Brown
Father's Name: 
Arthur Brown
Date Enlisted: 
Monday, October 9, 1916
Rank at Enlistment: 
Private
Rank at Discharge: 
Private
Unit: 
37th Battalion
Company: 
C
Service: 
Infantry
Awards: 
British War Medal
Victory Medal
Date of Death: 
Friday, June 8, 1917
Place of Death: 
Messines, Belgium
Cause of Death: 
Killed in action
Details: 

William Brown (Service No 2687) was born in September 1897.

William was single, worked as a farmer and lived at Bulli, N.S.W. when he enlisted at Kiama, N.S.W. at the age of 19.   He had served in the Militia.

William embarked from Sydney on board HMAT A24 Benalla with 5th Reinforcements on 9th November 1916.  The troops arrived in England on 9th January 1917 and William was admitted to hospital with influenza on 3rd February 1917.  After recovering he joined C Company, 37th Battalion in France on 8th May 1917.

The Battalion moved to Belgium and took part in the battle of Messines Ridge.  It was here, on 8th June 1917, that William was hit by a shell and killed instantly.

There is no known grave for William; he is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial at Ypres, Belgium.

Sources: 
NAA: B2455, BROWN W F