Alfred Bessell-Browne

Early life and career

Alfred Bessell-Browne was born in Auckland, New Zealand, on 3 September 1877, the son of an insurance inspector. The family immigrated to New South Wales where Bessell-Browne attended Camden Grammar. They later moved to Western Australia where he attended Perth High School (now known as Hale School). Bessell-Browne first job was as a clerk in the patents office in 1896.

Bessell-Browne enlisted in the Perth Artillery Volunteers held the rank of sergeant in 1899 when he volunteered for

Bessell-Browne returned to Australia in May 1902 and rejoined the 1st Western Australian Field Battery with the rank of lieutenant and honorary captain. He was promoted to captain in 1908 and the following year took the Diploma of Military Science course at the University of Sydney. He was promoted to major on 28 August 1911, and took command of his battery, now known as the 37th Field Battery.

First World War

On 28 August 1914, Bessell-Browne was appointed to the

Bessell-Browne arrived at

Bessell-Browne was promoted to temporary lieutenant colonel on 15 October 1915, a promotion made permanent on 1 January 1916. He was evacuated to Egypt sick on 12 January 1916. He rejoined the 2nd Field Artillery Brigade in Egypt on 19 February 1916. It embarked for France on 12 March. Bessell-Browne's brigade participated in the attack on Pozières, which saw first use of a creeping barrage by Australian troops. On 8 September 1916 he was attached to the 1st Division Artillery and took command of them from 28 September 1916 to 18 January 1917 in the absence of Brigadier General Hobbs.

On 18 January 1917, Bessell-Browne became commander of the 5th Division Artillery. Two days later he was promoted to colonel and temporary brigadier general. He commanded the 5th Division Artillery at

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Brigadier General Alfred J. Bessell-Brown, Royal British Army, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service in a position of great responsibility to the Government of the United States, during World War I, while serving with the 5th Australian Division, British Expeditionary Forces. The relations of the American and Australian forces, cooperating with each other, were always marked with the utmost harmony, but never was the spirit more clearly manifested than during the period from 16 to 19 October 1918 when the 30th U.S. Division went forward in attack against the enemy, supported by artillery under General Bessell-Brown's command. To his consummate technical skill and unflagging energy is due much credit for the successful results attained in these operations.[3]

On 8 November 1918, Bessell-Browne took Anzac leave to return to Australia on furlough. The war ended three days later due to the

External links

• R. Mallett, Alfred Bessell-Browne, Biography at "General Officers of the First AIF", adfa.edu.au
• Merrilyn Lincoln, 'Bessell-Browne, Alfred Joseph (1877–1947)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 7, Melbourne University Press, 1979, pp 279–280.