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Hugh Browne (rugby union)

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Hugh Browne
Full nameHugh Christopher Browne
Date of birth(1905-11-28)28 November 1905
Place of birthSt Giles, London, England
Date of death6 November 1983(1983-11-06) (aged 77)
Place of deathSouthampton, Hampshire, England
Rugby union career
Position(s) Hooker
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1929 Ireland 3 (2)

Hugh Christopher Browne (28 November 1905 — 6 November 1983) was a Royal Navy commander and Ireland international rugby union player of the 1920s.

Rugby career

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Born in London, Browne played rugby during his youth and was selected by Ireland after impressing selectors playing for London Irish on a trip to Dublin.[1] He was invited to the Irish trials and made three international appearances as a hooker during the 1929 Five Nations.[2] While based in Edinburgh, Browne played rugby for local side Wanderers. He also competed with the Royal Navy and United Services.[3]

Military service

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Browne served with the Royal Navy in World War II and had command of the submarine HMS Regent, noted for its 1941 rescue attempt of the British minister to Yugoslavia Ronald Campbell, after the country fell to Italy. The submarine entered the port of Kotor and withstood enemy attacks from air and land for nine hours, before retreating.[4] For this, Browne was decorated with the Distinguished Service Order (DSO). He had a bar added to the DSO in 1942 and was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1945.[5]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "How Ireland Found H. C. Browne". London Daily Chronicle. 7 February 1929.
  2. ^ "Capt. H. C. Browne, DSO". Ireland's Saturday Night. 19 November 1983.
  3. ^ "H. C. Browne Leaves Edinburgh". Belfast Telegraph. 20 October 1931.
  4. ^ "Capt Hugh Browne". The Daily Telegraph. 8 November 1983.
  5. ^ "St. Nazaira V.C. Among Naval Promotions". Nottingham Journal. 1 July 1946.
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