Background
Albert Chowne was born in Sydney on July 19, 1920 and attended Chatswood Boys Intermediate High School and later Naremburn Junior Technical School.  In 1935 he began work at David Jones as a shirt-cutter.

Chowne initially served with the 36th Infantry Battalion (militia) before enlisting with the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) on May 30, 1940.

In November 1940, Chowne arrived in the Middle East with the 2/13th Infantry Battalion where he served as a platoon, and later a company commander.  Chowne served at Tobruk with the 2/13th for eight months, during which time he transferred to the carrier platoon and was promoted to Corporal.  After Tobruk, the 2/13th was stationed in Syria where Chowne was again promoted, this time to Sergeant.  During the El Alamein campaign of October 1942 Chowne was wounded in the hand and leg, and subsequently spent three weeks in hospital before returning to Australia in January 1943.

The 2/13th, with Chowne as mortar platoon sergeant, moved to Papua in July 1943.  Chowne was awarded a Military Medal for "Great bravery at Kreutberg on October 25, 1943" before being commissioned as a Lieutenant in January 1944.

After completing the jungle training course at Canungra, Chowne was posted to the 2/2nd Infantry Battalion before being sent to New Guinea in December 1944.  While serving with this new unit, Chowne earned a reputation for bravery and leadership - at one time in March, even entering a Japanese hut and rifling through soldiers' belongings before shooting one dead after being discovered.

Victoria Cross
On March 25, 1945 Lt Chowne singlehandedly advanced across a narrow jungle ridge near Dagua and attacked major Japanese positions obstructing the Australian advance.  Chowne's actions resulted in the destruction of two enemy machine gun posts and inspired his men to capture the entire position.  In so doing, Chowne had exposed himself to intense enemy fire and was mortally wounded atop the last enemy post.  For his outstanding bravery Lt Chowne was posthumously awarded the British Commonwealth's highest miliary honour.  Lt Albert Chowne is now buried at the Lae War Cemetery.

Both Albert's Victoria Cross and Military Medal were presented to his wife, Mrs Daphne Chowne, by the Governor-General of Australia in January 1947.  His medals are now displayed in the Hall of Valour at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra.

Plaque dedicated to Lt Chowne at Boystown (Justin Taylan)

A street in Canberra has been named in Lt Chowne's honour.