Squadron Leader Richard Desmond Browne
- Rank
- Squadron Leader
- Service number
- 406025
- Unit
- Royal Australian Air Force 1 Squadron
- Cause of death
- Killed in Action
- Place of death
- Kuching, Borneo
- Date of death
- 8 August 1945
- Age
- 27
- Plaque number
- L99A
- Co-located plaques
- L99 - FLGOFF Francis Browne
- Dedicated by
- His parents on 5 December 1948
- More information
Squadron Leader Richard Desmond Browne 406025 (1918-1945, born Claremont, Western Australia) enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) at Perth, Western Australia, on 25 May 1940 and was trained as a Pilot at Mascot and at Wagga, New South Wales. He was sent to the Middle East under the Air Training Plan (ATP, known as the Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS) in Australia) and attached to the Royal Air Force (RAF) serving with No. 8 Squadron RAF. He returned to Australia and was posted to No. 1 Squadron RAAF arriving in Labuan, Borneo, on 2 August 1945. On 8 August 1945 while strafing barges on the river at Kuching and barracks north of the river, Mosquito aircraft A52-510 crashed over the target area, killing Squadron Leader Browne and Flying Officer Richard Gregson 72527 of Gladesville, New South Wales.
Squadron Leader Browne has no known grave and his official memorial is the Labuan Memorial, Malaysia, where his name is shown on Panel 32. His Roll of Honour has not been determined.
His honour plaque in Kings Park was dedicated by his parents on 5 December 1948. He is the son of Desmond Browne (1884-1959) and Eileen Browne (nee Burkitt) (1883-1963) of Nedlands, Western Australia. He is the brother of Francis Valentine Browne 406637 (killed in an aircraft accident).
Squadron Leader Browne is remembered with honour.