Macarthur person Warren Browning: Emotions rise along with sun

THE emotion-charged Campbelltown Anzac Day dawn service carries the most meaning for Campbelltown RSL sub-branch senior vice-president Warren Browning.

Warren Browning works tirelessly to organise the annual Anzac Day service each year. Picture: Timothy Clapin

THE emotion-charged Campbelltown Anzac Day dawn service carries the most meaning for Campbelltown RSL sub-branch senior vice-president Warren Browning.

The Thirlmere resident, 68, who spent nine years in the Royal Australia Navy as a weapons mechanic and ship diver, will MC the dawn service at Mawson Park which has become one of the biggest in the Macarthur region thanks to the thousands of people who attend every year.

“The dawn service is the one I get emotional at,’’ Mr Browning said.

“Mawson Park is wonderful there as the dawn is breaking. It’s a wonderful setting for a service.’’

A march follows the dawn service, and Mr Browning will then also MC the main service which starts at Mawson Park at 9.15am, and conduct a smaller service at Campbelltown Bowling Club later that day with sub-branch president Dutchy Holland.

Mr Browning, a grandfather of six, said in the last 10 years he had seen growing numbers of children and young people attending Anzac Day services in the Macarthur area and this gave him a great deal of satisfaction.

“We (at the sub-branch) send speakers to schools and the children seem to understand and it’s great to see,’’ he said.

“They drag their parents along on Anzac Day.

“The people of the Macarthur area have been wonderful, they come along and they support what we are trying to do.’’

The Thirlmere resident spent nine years in the Royal Australian Navy. Picture: Timothy Clapin

Mr Browning was quick to point out Anzac Day was not a celebration, but a commemoration to honour the sacrifices of the servicemen and women who didn’t come home.

“We are not celebrating we are commemorating the people who lost their lives to give us what we have today,’’ he said.

Mr Browning grew up in Coffs Harbour and dreamt of following his uncles into the Navy.

He enlisted at age 17 ½ in 1966 and during his career served on vessels including the HMAS Melbourne and travelled to Malaysia, Vietnam, the Far East and Hawaii.

As a weapons mechanic, Mr Browning worked on the guns and as a shallow water ship diver he searched the bottom of ships for mines.

He said the comraderie with other service personnel was one of the things he loved about Navy life, and it’s also what he enjoys about his volunteer work with the sub-branch.

“That comraderie and genuine mateship is what I loved about the armed services and I also get that in the sub-branch,’’ he said.

Mr Browning’s devoted wife of 40 years, Joan, and their family also attend Campbelltown’s Anzac Day services.

“I start planning and thinking about next year’s Anzac Day about a month after this year’s,’’ he said.

“The planning is in full swing before Christmas, that’s when I start organising the jeeps, trucks and the various permissions and logistics.’’

Mr Browning moved to the Macarthur area in 1975 after leaving the Navy and settled in Minto before moving to Thirlmere.