The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
Quilted purple coloured skull cap featuring a six pointed star on the top of the crown made from gold gilded, red, green and dark blue fabric. Decorative star motifs surround the large central star. The inside of the cap has a brushed cotton finish with a blue circular shaped centre at the top of the crown. On the inside rear of the cap is a rectangular shaped stamped manufacturers marking featuring arabic writing and a pair of half crescent moons and stars. The sweatband of the cap consists of a worn faux leather finish.
This smoking cap relates to the service of Montague Ambrose 'Monte' Brown. Brown was born near Bega, NSW in 1899 and was educated at St Joseph's College, Hunters Hill. On leaving school he returned to the New South Wales south coast where he was active in the pre-war Australian Army militia, serving with 1 Light Horse as a trooper from 31 December 1909. On 1 April 1910 he was promoted to corporal and three months later to sergeant. In July 1912 he transferred to 28 Light Horse where he promoted to regimental sergeant major on 1 January 1913. Brown was offered a commission to 2nd lieutenant on 1 August 1913.
With the declaration of war in 1914 he was an early volunteer in the AIF. However, upon joining he reverted to the rank of trooper. He left Sydney in 1915 with the 12th Light Horse, bound for Egypt. The AIF eventually recognised his experience with the militia and on 4 May 1915 Brown was promoted to 2nd lieutenant. He was then dispatched to Gallipoli with his regiment where he was promoted to full lieutenant on 19 August 1915. With the end of the Gallipoli campaign, Brown returned to Egypt with his unit.
Brown served in Egypt and Palestine and on 9 September 1916 was promoted to the rank of captain. In 1917 he was transferred to the Indian Army for a five year engagement with the Imperial Government. During his time in India he served as a captain with 9 Hodson's Horse Cavalry Regiment and saw active service during the third Anglo-Afghan war between May and August 1919. On 8 November 1922 Brown's period of service with the Indian Army ended and he returned to Australia.
During the 1930s he lived in western NSW, and also spent time in the Hunter Valley. Brown served as a major with 16 Light Horse between December 1926 and August 1935. While with this regiment he was a Commanding Officer of 16 'Hunter River Lancers' Light Horse Regiment, with its Headquarters in East Maitland. After service with this unit he transferred to the 16 Machine Gun Battalion.
Considered too old for active service upon the declaration of the Second World War in September 1939,his first posting saw him first serve at the Prisoner of War and internment camp at Berrima in the Southern Highlands of NSW. After this posting he became the Group Commandant of the 22nd Garrison Battalion at the newly built Prisoner of War Camp No.12 at Cowra NSW. During his time at Cowra, the infamous 'Cowra breakout' occurred on the night of 5 August 1944. Brown left the military in 1947 and passed away in 1975.
Verners pattern VII prismatic dry card compass. The flip top cover has impressed 'VERNER'S PATTERN / VII'. A circular piece of glass is centrally mounted into this cover with a thin black vertical l
Circular shaped tin identity disc with 'LT. M.A BROWN 12th L.H. R.C' stamped onto the obverse. The top of the disc is slightly flattened The lower portion of the obverse and large parts of the rever
Pair of metal Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service Reserve badges. The circular badge has a large 'R' in the centre, with King's crown on top, surrounded by the words 'QUEEN ALEXANDRA'
Oval shaped electro plated nickel silver dish with lid. The lid has a pair of 70 mm long by 10 mm diameter ebonite handles attached at either end. The handles are attached to the lid by a pair of el
A trench art miniature Ice axe consisting of an aluminium head and polished wooden shaft. The head consists of a blunt shaped adze and a pick including three serated edges on the bottom surface. The
Tropical style light weight helmet covered with white painted cotton, the inside of the visor is finished with a faded green polished cotton. There is an integral leather chin strap and sweat band on
Rectangular shaped cream coloured shawl with decorative fringe. This shawl was sent by Montague Ambrose 'Monte' Brown to his sister, Muriel Brown, during the First World War. Brown was born near Beg
Circular shaped tin identity disc with 'LT. M.A BROWN 12th L.H. R.C' stamped onto the obverse. The top of the disc is slightly flattened The lower portion of the obverse and large parts of the rever
White unhemmed calico bag with hand writing and stamp marks on outside surfaces. This writing consists of 'Miss Brown / Beachgrove / Yallah / Illawarra / New South Wales / Australia' repeated in thre
A length of cotton fabric dyed indigo with several alternating horizontal lines of white and indigo dyed cotton at one end. This length of fabric relates to the service of Montague Ambrose 'Monte' B
Decorative green cardboard soap box originally made for Lullaby bath soap. The front of the box has a small piece of paper glued over the 'LULLABY BATH SOAP' folding lid. On this piece of paper is
A length of cotton fabric dyed indigo with several alternating horizontal lines of white cotton, indigo dyed cotton and gold bullion thread at one end. This decorative feature has gold bullion tassel
