Victor Albert Wogan-Browne

Service number: 3711

Rank: Corporal

Unit: 7th Australian Light Trench Mortar Battery

Service: Australian Army

Date of death: 7 July 1918

Cause of death: Died of wounds

Cemetery or memorial details: Crouy British Cemetery, Crouy-Sur-Somme, France

War Grave Register notes:

WOGAN-BROWNE, Cpl. Victor Albert Edward, 3711. 7th Aust. Light T. M. Battery. Died of wounds 7th July, 1918. Age 27. Son of Mr. A. H. and Mrs. Barbara Wogan-Browne, of 26 Pacific St., Manly, Sydney, New South Wales. Native of Essex, England. III. E. 7.

Source: AWM145 Roll of Honour cards, 1914-1918 War, Army

Mr Wogan Browne was born in West Ham, London. He was a motor driver. He enlisted on 13 August 1915 aged 24. He was promoted to Bombardier on 16 June 1917 and Corporal on 7 July 1917. He was congratulated for his success on a course at the Australian Corps Gas School in April 1918. He died of shell wounds.

“My great-uncle Victor is on the Manly Cenotaph as VA Browne – didn’t use the hyphened name as after his father’s death, his mother relocated from England to Manly in slightly “reduced circumstances”. Her brother, Samuel Baker was a successful grocer at 10 The Corso and lived in Fairlight Street. Great Grandma lived in his rental house in Pacific Street. I think there was a falling out at some point because neither my unclen or my father remember Samuel’s daughters – relatives we don’t even know. Victor was in the Trench Mortar and died on July 7 1918, from wounds – part of his face and arm were badly damaged by an explosion. My grandmother placed flowers every Anzac Day on the Cenotaph, as we still do. We have a lovely photo of him in civvies as well.” [1]

[1] Information supplied by great-niece, Yvette Middleton, November 2006.