Norman Brown
Australian Army Department of News and Information

Background
Norman Edson Brown was born February 1, 1912 in Fremantle. Prewar, employed by the Sydney Morning Herald Correspondent and lived in Sydney.

Wartime History
On February 1, 1943 enlisted in the Australian Army with service number B2/323. Assigned to the Department of News and Information as a photographer and war correspondent assigned to New Guinea where he photographed Allied personnel. During his service, he contracted malaria on several occasions.

In early March 1943 after the Battle of the Bismarck Sea photographed damage sustained by B-17F "Old Baldy" 41-24455 including repairs to the tail stabilizer fabric and tire repairs at 7 Mile Drome near Port Moresby.


On March 13, 1943 at Port Moresby photographed an award ceremony for three 96th Engineers General Service Regiment (Colored) bestowed the Soldier's Medal by Brigadier General Dwight F. Johns for rescuing P-39 Airacobra pilot Lt. Robert G. Rose.


On April 13, 1943 photographed low flying P-38 Lightnings over 14 Mile Drome (Schwimmer) near Port Moresby.


On May 7, 1943 at Milne Bay photographs the aftermath of the Japanese Operation I-GO air raid April 14, 1943 including damage to ships and wounded personnel recovering in hospital.


On May 19, 1943 photographed the shipwreck of the Ayatosan Maru.


On June 7, 1943 photographed Beaufighter "Time Gentlemen Please / Pandemonium" A19-27 piloted by S/Ldr William T. M. Boulton after force landing at 5 Mile Drome (Ward) near Port Moresby.


On June 30, 1943 photographs the U.S. Navy landing craft amphibious landing of the U.S. Army Sixth Army Alamo Force in the Trobriand Islands at Kiriwina Island and Woodlark Island.

In November 1943 photographs the Australian Army fighting at Sattelberg and Papuan Infantry Battalion (PIB) soldiers.

During April 1944 photographed the U.S. Army landing at Hollandia. On April 28, 1944 he photographed U.S. Army General Douglas MacArthur walking with soldiers behind a field gun being towed inland.

In May 1944 he was embedded with Australian forces that had advanced to Madang and Alexishafen and photographed the damaged Alexishafen Catholic Mission and defusing of Japanese bombs and booby traps at Alexishafen Airfield.

During July 1944 visited Tadji Airfield and photographed Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) aircraft including a P-40N Kittyhawk from No. 75 Squadron.

On February 3, 1945 discharged with the rank of Captain and returned to his home in Sydney. At the end of the Pacific War, he earned the U.S. Asiatic-Pacific Service ribbon from U.S. Army General Douglas MacArthur who wrote him: "You have added lustre to the difficult, dangerous and arduous profession of War Correspondent."

Postwar
Brown resumed work as a press photographer. In 1951, the family moved to Melbourne and his son also became a photographer. Brown passed away in 1990.

Relatives
Elisbett Brown (wife)
Norman Brown (son)
Ian Brown (son)

References
WW2 Nominal Roll - Norman Edson Brown, B2/323
Australian War Memorial (AWM) Search "Brown, Norman" (photos 838 results)
Letter Douglas MacArthur To Norman Brown September 23, 1945 [PDF]
Sydney Morning Herald "What General MacArthur said of the Sydney Morning Herald war photographer Norman Brown" by Tim Barlass July 17, 2015
ProCounter Australia "Auction house acquires WWII lensman’s artefacts" July 28, 2015
"An auction house has obtained items that belonged to Australian WWII photographer, Norman Brown; including medals, a photo album, and a letter from Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers, Douglas MacArthur."
Thanks to Edward Rogers for additional research and analysis

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