Harold Ernest Browne

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Captain (retired) Harold Ernest Browne, O.B.E. (4 December, 1874 – 21 July, 1939) was an officer in the Royal Navy. He was a torpedo officer with a talent for wireless telegraphy.

Life & Career

Born the son of Reverend C. G. Browne.

Browne was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 14 April, 1894.

Browne was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1906.[1]

An evaluation from about this time records that Browne was "rather abrupt."

In January 1908, Captain Wake of Dido offered this evaluation: "devoid of tact & judgment in management of offrs and men." Browne was just then being appointed to join the second class protected cruiser Encounter on the Australian Station. In November, 1908 a Court of Enquiry probed a squabble between Browne and Encounter's Captain Herbert Fyler and concluded that Fyler had been injudicious in dealing with his second in command, prompting Fyler to be superseded shortly thereafter.[2] Browne's appointment ended on 17 February, 1909 and he was sent home, expected to arrive 5 April, 1909. On 4 May, he was appointed to the second class protected cruiser Talbot.

Browne was appointed in command of the second class protected cruiser Apollo on 13 October, 1911.[3]

Browne was placed on the Retired List at his own request with the rank of Captain on 3 June, 1922.

World War II

Browne was deemed unfit for service on 16 February, 1939 due to a stroke. He died in July.

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Dudley R. S. de Chair
Captain of H.M. T.B. 83
15 Jun, 1897
Succeeded by
James L. Forbes
Preceded by
Robert M. Groves
Captain of H.M. T.B. 64
Aug, 1900
Succeeded by
James W. Cottrell
Preceded by
Marcus R. Hill
Captain of H.M.S. Vindictive
20 Sep, 1910[4] – 4 Oct, 1910[5]
Succeeded by
Harold G. Innes
Preceded by
Francis W. Kennedy
Captain of H.M.S. Trafalgar
4 Oct, 1910[6] – 3 May, 1911[7]
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
Oscar M. Makins
Captain of H.M.S. Apollo
31 Oct, 1911[8] – 1 Jan, 1914
Succeeded by
Forster D. Arnold-Forster
Preceded by
?
Senior Naval Officer, Swansea
22 Jul, 1915[9] – Jan, 1916[10]
Succeeded by
William L. Down

Footnotes

  1. The Navy List. (March, 1913). p. 11.
  2. Fyler Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/88. f. 69.
  3. The Navy List. (July, 1913). p. 279.
  4. Browne Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/435. f. 442.
  5. Browne Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/435. f. 442.
  6. "Naval & Military Intelligence." The Times (London, England), Tuesday, October 4, 1910, Issue 39394, p.6.
  7. Browne Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/400. f. 442.
  8. The Navy List. (July, 1913). p. 279.
  9. Browne Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/400. f. 442.
  10. Browne Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/400. f. 442.