in the defence of Tobruk. Mentioned in despatches and appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1942, he was appointed commander of the 36th Battalion, then serving in Papua. He served in this role from May to September, before becoming commander of his previous battalion, now serving in New Guinea. However, his time in this latter command was limited as he became ill and was hospitalised intermittently for five months until March 1943. Upon his recovery, Brown held administrative positions for the rest of the war in New Guinea, Melbourne, Queensland and Singapore. Following the end of the war he presided over the trials of Japanese war criminals in Darwin, where his leniency caused some controversy. Later life Following the end of his service with the AIF on 29 August 1946, Brown took up a farm near Windsor but poor health intervened. His final public position was director of the Immigration Holding Centre at Scheyville in 1949. In 1958 he was classified as totally and permanently incapacitated due to his war service. He died at Batemans Bay in 1960 of ischaemic heart disease, survived by his wife and three children. A son had been killed in service with the AIF during the Second World War. Notes References 1894 births 1960 deaths Officers of the Order of the British Empire Companions of the Distinguished Service Order Australian recipients of the Military Cross Australian colonels Australian military personnel of World War I Australian Army personnel of World War II People from Sydney