A British War Medal to Lieut. Browne who was Wounded at St. Emile

A British War Medal to Lieut. Browne who was Wounded at St. Emile - (LIEUT. P.J. BROWNE.). Naming is officially impressed. Extremely fine. Accompanied by copies of his Officers' Declaration Paper, Service Records, Medical Records, Venereal Disease Case-Cards and assorted research papers. Footnote: Patrick Joseph Browne was born on June 27, 1897 in Brockville, Ontario. He enlisted with the 41st Regiment, Brockville Rifles, on December 8, 1915 and signed his Officers' Declaration Paper with the 156th Battalion, 156th Leeds and Grenville Battalion, on May 12, 1916 in Brockville, stating his profession as Student. He embarked Halifax, Nova Scotia on September 2, 1916, disembarking at Liverpool, England on October 6th. By December 23rd, he was attached to the 147th Battalion at Shoreham. One week later, in early January 1917, he was taken on strength with the 8th Reserve Battalion, then returned to the 156th Battalion on February 22nd, and again taken on strength with the 6th Reserve Battalion at Seaford on November 19, 1917. Browne disembarked in France on December 6, 1917 and was taken on strength with the 2nd Battalion two days later. After spending a week at the Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp, he joined the 2nd in the field on the 22nd. Lieutenant Browne is mentioned in the Unit History of 1917. The Diary of the Second, whose entries in the later years of the war are quite expansive and adequate, states that on the January 15th, No. 2 Platoon of the 2nd Battalion won the final contest in the Divisional Competition held at the the Canadaian Corps School Pernes. The 8th (Winnipeg) Battalion placed second, while the 15th (Toronto) Battalion were third. Five days after this triumph, No. 2 Platoon, with their commander, Lieutenant P/J/ (Paddy) Browne were given a tremendous ovation, headed by the Battalion Band, as they marched home to Camblain Chatelain in glory. The 2nd Battalion then moved on to Hersin-Coupigny. They next day, they trudged up to Les Brebis, where they staged for a few hours before going into brigade support at Cite St. Pierre. January 22nd (1918) saw them relieve the 166th Battalion at the front line at Cite St. Emile. "The operation on both the 2nd and 3rd September can best be characterized as 'sticky'. They were not so clean-up as Amiens, although they did accomplish a great deal. For the Second they were not unduly costly. One officer, Lieutenant W.F. Ferguson, was killed, and two officers were evacuated, wounded - Lieutenant R.N. Broad and Lieutenant J.S. Buchan. Four officers were slightly wounded, remaining at duty - Captain Hugh Smith, Lieutenant James Milne, Lieutenant A. Hewitt and Lieutenant P.J. Browne. A total of 97 other ranks were wounded in the last two days of operations." Upon the conclusion of hosilities, he proceeded to England from the 2nd Battalion on March 25, 1919. As evidenced by his medical records, he suffered from Venereal Disease throughout the latter stages of the war, diagnosed with "furunculosis neck" (boils) and "orchitis" (swelling of the testicles) and was treated extensively, especially from January 1919 on. He was struck off strength and proceeded to Canada on July 14, 1919, being discharged from service on July 16, 1919. He was officially struck off strength upon demobilization on August 15, 1919.