Hi, I'm Athalee,
25/04/2026
❤️ LEST WE FORGET ❤️
This is my Dad ( tall one in the middle )
Naval Seaman, Charlie Brown.
A young man far too young to be fighting for our country,a with his mates and all who fought and continue to fight fight for their own lives, senseless wars😢.
On the night 31st May 1942 he was blown up in Sydney Harbour when Japanese mini subs entered the Sydney heads, through the submarine nets following a Manly ferry..
The Japanese were aiming at the USS Chicago, they missed instead hitting the HMAS Kuttabul.
Ausralian & NZ soldiers sleeping on the on the holding ferry HMAS Kuttabul, a holding ferry for soldiers.
21 men were killed, 10 injured.
Dad lucky enough to survive he was found floating in the debris, by fate a glimpse of his hand spotted by a local who rescued him 🙏🏽.
I am unsure if this pic is before the bombing or after, as he was then posted to HMAS Hobart and bombed again in the Coral Sea.
Thank you Dad with all my heart .. I know it was so mentally challenging for you carrying all those horrific memories.
You were such a kind, gentle and loving Dad, Husband, Grandad,Brother & friend to many.
Will all ways be forever grateful for your ❤️ love.
PS: Dad met with the relatives of Japanese kamikaze mini submarine soldiers.
They came to Australia to lay a memorial of respect.
Dad was the only surviving soldier to meet the families.
They loved him too, because didn’t carry hate.
He knew those young men were doing exactly as they were ordered to do, as was he and every other soldier.
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness,
only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”
~ Martin Luther King Jnr ~
