John Browne

Rank:	Private
Street:	Albion Hotel,
Townland:
Town/Village:	Westport (New Zealand)
Civil Parish:	Likely Roscommon
Catholic Parish:
Country:	New Zealand
Alternative Address:	Clontuskert, Ballyleague, Co. Roscommon
Census 1901:	Resident at Cloontuskert www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Roscommon/Cloontuskert/
Census 1911:
Regiment/Unit:	'B' Company, 3rd Battalion, Auckland Regiment, New Zealand
Regiment Number:	70668
Date of Death:
Cause:	Survived WW1
Memorial:	Unknown
Information:	John stated that he was born in either Ballyleague or Lanesborough on or around 22 December 1889; a Longford address is given twice on his papers and Roscommon once. By 1914 John was living in New Zealand and working as a surfaceman for the New Zealand Railways. John enlisted c. Oct 1917, and embarked for overseas service on the 2 Mar 1918. He was at Sling Camp in Wiltshire in Britain In July 1918 he got a pass to visit his mother in Longford and did not return to Camp. John was court martialled in his absence and as a consequenceLikel forfeited his medals.
Parents Names:	Probable) son of Edward and Maria Browne, Clontuskert, Co. Roscommon
Notes:	There were 4600 New Zealand troops stationed at the camp and the camp became a repatriation centre. At that time there was unrest in other camps as a result of delays in demobilising troops. To try to restore order the 'spit and polish' regime was enforced and route marches ordered. The men requested a relaxation of discipline as the war was over and they were far from home, however this was refused and the troops rioted, stealing food from the mess and all of the alcohol from the officers' mess. Little else is known about John's life, but it is likely that he returned to Ballyleague and lived there after the end of WW1. A man with similar details died from natural causes in Ballyleague on the 27 Feb 1972.
Links:	Possible Civil Record of Birth; potential Civil Record of Death; link to NZ Archive service record;