In Memory of Felix James BROWN  -- My Dad

Born in Greenmeadows, Napier, New Zealand 10 June 1917, to parents William Brown and Catherine Brown,(nee Brown)  the eldest of 9 children.  In 1929 barely a month after her 9th child was born Catherine passed away.  So Felix at age 12, being the eldest  helped  his Dad raise the children.

The family lived at Kaponga, in the Stratford area of New Zealand, where William was a Post and Telegraph Overseer. William was the son of Henry William Brown and Mary Ann Murphy, whilst Catherine was the daughter of Patrick James Brown and Catherine Dalton.  Henry was born at sea near Capetown, South Africa while his parents John Brown and Elizabeth Waters were on their way, from Ireland,  to live in New Zealand.  He married Mary Murphy from Co Cork in New Zealand in 1883. Patrick Brown was born in Co Limerick and married Catherine (also from Ireland) in New Zealand in 1884.  His parents were Michael Brown, and Bridget Ryan, farmers in Co Limerick. ( Exact village or townland  unknown at this stage.)

My Dad had a great interest in model airplanes whilst a teenager, and also met and had a joy-flight with Charles Kingsford Smith, the great aviator. When the 2nd World War was declared Felix joined the NZ Forces and was amongst those in the first shipment out.  He was to spend 6 years away, and arrived back in New Zealand on one of the last shipments home. He served in the Middle East, and was wounded on 22 July 1942 by enemy fire and as a consequence spent the next 3 years in a Prison camp in Germany.

We have a letter written in August 1942 to Dad's father notifying him that his son was missing in action - it covers 4 pages of neat hand-writing, written by Dad's commanding officer.  This letter explains that Dad was shot while trying to get back into the truck to destroy vital papers and maps. The letter also goes into detail of Dad's courage in driving through the night without lights over snowed-covered and slippery mountain roads in Greece prior to being in the Sahara.

Felix Brown served at Tobruk and Bardia.  He fought in the main battle for El Alamein where he was wounded and captured by the Germans, spending more than 3 years at Stalag 8A in Germany.  On 8 May 1945, he was released by US & Russian Forces and was flown by the RAF to Ramsgate in the UK for hospital treatment. He had scrapnel in his legs all his life.

In 1946 in New Zealand, Felix married Connie from Australia and they had 3 children.  In 1955 the family re-located to Australia. Felix worked for 35 years with the same Company in both New Zealand and Australia, and in time became  a grandfather of 7 and great grandfather of 2.

As children each Anzac Day (25 April) , we were taken into the city to watch the Anzac Day Parade.  Dad marched, proudly with his medals each year, although in more recent years was just a spectator. He loved gardening, played lawn bowls for a time, and was always up to date on current affairs around the world.

Dad celebrated his 83rd birthday this year, and posed happily for a photo with his new great -grand-daughter aged 3 months. 5 weeks later, on 18th July, 2000 Felix James Brown passed away, in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, his 3 children and their families,  and one brother and 2 sisters.

Felix's grandson Tim Curtain died in a tragic car accident near Emerald in Queensland 20 Dec 2000  age 27 yrs 10 mths Buried Gympie Cemetery - click here for memorial page

Death is not extinguishing the light It is putting out the lamp           because the dawn has come.

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Page updated 9 May 2009