On 13 June 2024, a Blue Plaque was unveiled at 23 Lillington Road in Leamington Spa, commemorating William Charles Denis Browne (1888-1915) (Collins 1903-07).

Denis Browne entered Rugby School in 1903 as a Classical Scholar. It was there he met his best friend and later comrade-in-arms, the poet Rupert Brooke. Renowned as a musician of exceptional promise, Denis Browne led the choir and played the organ for Sunday services at his family’s church, St Mary Magdalene in Lillington. His musical talents continued to flourish at Rugby School and later at Clare College, Cambridge, where he was an Organ Scholar from 1910-12. During this time, both he and Rupert Brooke participated in numerous student productions and mingled with many prominent writers, performers, musicians, and composers. Denis Browne quickly gained a reputation as a pianist, accompanist, organist, and conductor.

After graduating from Cambridge with a distinction in May 1912, Denis Browne briefly served as Assistant Music Master at Repton School, but ill-health forced him to resign. He then moved to London, becoming the Organist of Guy's Hospital. He wrote for "The Times" and the "New Statesman" on musical subjects, showing great promise as a young musical critic.

At the outbreak of The Great War, Denis Browne joined the Royal Naval Division alongside Rupert Brooke and participated in the Antwerp Expedition in October 1914. He then went to the Dardanelles, where he was mortally wounded while leading his men in an attack on Turkish trenches below Achi Baba on 4 June 1915. He had already been wounded on 8 May but returned to his battalion shortly before his death at the age of 26. Nine other Rugbeians who fell in the same action can be found in the record of Captain Holt.

In recent years, many of Denis Browne's surviving songs have been recorded. In 2007, his Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in G major was performed in a BBC Radio 3 broadcast of Choral Evensong for Remembrance Day, given by the Choir of Clare College, and in 2009 the same station broadcast Maltman’s recording of To Gratiana Dancing and Singing, following Andrew Motion reading his own poem The Grave of Rupert Brooke.

Two Dances for Small Orchestra was recorded for BBC Radio 3 in 2014. A reconstruction of his ballet The Comic Spirit was performed by the Southbank Sinfonia with dancers from the Central School of Ballet in 2015. This was later performed by the BBC Philharmonic for ‘Composer of the Week’ in August the following year.

William is commemorated in various locations: on the Roll of Honour at Rugby School, on panel 8 of the Helles Memorial in Turkey, and on the War Memorials in Euston Place, Leamington, St Mary Magdalene, Lillington, and St Paul’s Church, Leamington. His name is also recorded at Clare College, Cambridge, Guy’s Hospital, and the Royal Naval Division War Memorial in Horse Guards Parade, London. And now at his birthplace, 23 Lillington Road in Leamington Spa.

The plaque was generously sponsored by The Rugbeian Society.