About Me
My name is Mary Lynne Brown and my father was Jim Paraone. From your site I have found he was in the 12th Reinforcements. My uncle Rangi Brown, dad's brother was in the 10th Reinforcements. Their mother's brother Lance Corporal Tau Sullivan was killed in action at Crete on 23/5/41. One of dad's friends Te Ngaro Whakarere Kissring Ryland died of wounds in Italy on 14/4/45. He was in the 12 Reinforcements with dad.I am honouring these two men by remembering them because my brothers carry their names. My older brother's name was Tautohe Sullivan Brown, who passed when he was 30 years old. He grew up too fast I think and lived his short life to the full. Te Ngaro Ryland Brown is alive and well and I know he is humbled and proud to carry the name of Te Ngaro Ryland. Tautohe helped in funding my brother Ngaro's education when he lived after our father passed away.Dad never spoke about his time in the Army to us but when he got together with our uncles who did enlist that was the only time he let it out in te reo Maori. I remember one of the uncles producing a German luger and my mother got mad as a hatter reminding dad of us kids. I think dad buried his war paraphenalia somewhere on our whenua through mum's urging.My uncle Rangi hardly talked about Army stuff that I remember only when he and dad got together.Thank you for this opportunity to talk a little bit about my dad, his brother and Te Ngaro and Koro Tau.I have photos of my dad in uniform which I will oprganise to upload. My aunty Raina Solomon was sent pictures of dad's time in Eygpt when he was enlisted. Tiny photos but clear of their barracks, soldiers and sand. Aunty's husband Te Huki Solomon was my father's nephew.From Dr. Monty Soutar's book Nga Tama Toa: The Price of Citizenship : C Company 28 (Maori) Battalion 1939-1945 our father held the rank of Lance Corporal and our Uncle Rangi Brown (Dad's brother, I have previously mentioned) held the rank of Sergeant. It goes to show just how much Dad and Uncle kept their Army life among themselves and their comrades in arms.