Private Bernard Manning Browning
- Rank
- Private
- Service number
- 7392
- Unit
- 28 Battalion
- Cause of death
- Killed in Action
- Place of death
- Beaurevoir, France
- Date of death
- 3 October 1918
- Age
- 30
- Plaque number
- L71B
- Co-located plaques
- L71 - SGT John Christie
- L71A - PTE Donald Langley
- Dedicated by
- Grandchildren on 17 November 2018
- More information
Biography presented during plaque dedication:
Private Bernard Manning Browning was born at Caldecott, Northampton, England in 1888. His parents were Ebenezer and Rebecca Browning and he had one brother and two sisters.
Bernard attended Kings School in Chester and later the Northampton grammar school. He then pursued an agricultural career.
Prior to his emigration he served with the Northampton yeomanry.
In 1908, Bernard with his cousin Charles Browning, left England for New Zealand and then in 1910 moved to Western Australia. He pioneered farming in the Pingelly District at Kulin Dock (now known as Kondinin).
Bernard married Phyllis in 1912 and they had two children, Frank and Joan.
He was very well known in his farming community.
Bernard enlisted in the AIF in January 1918 and was allocated to the 28 Infantry Battalion, then fighting on the Western Front. In late August, 28 Battalion was tasked with capturing the Amiens-Peronne railway bridge. They forced their way across the river and during the subsequent battle of Mont St Quentin-Peronne, advanced towards Aizecourt-le-Haut.
On 3 October the battalion mounted an early morning assault.
Private Bernard Manning Browning, service number 7392 of 28 Battlion, was killed in action on the Beaurevoir line around the village of Estrees on 3 October 1918.
He was 30 years of age. He is buried in the Bellicourt British Cemetery, Bellicourt, France.
His memorial plaque was dedicated by his grandchildren, Douglas, Margaret, Bernard, Gabby, Fred, Ian, Charles, James, Laurie and May.
The plaque is placed alongside Sergeant John Robert Christie and Private Donald Calbert Langley, of 28 Battalion, who served with Private Bernard Browning and died on the same day.