William Charles Denis Browne

William Charles Denis Browne (3 November 1888 – 4 June 1915), primarily known as Billy to family and as Denis to his friends, was a British composer, pianist, organist and music critic of the early 20th century. He and his close friend, poet Rupert Brooke, were commissioned into the Royal Naval Division together shortly after the outbreak of the First World War. Denis Browne was killed in action during the Gallipoli Campaign.

Denis Browne was born in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, on 3 November 1888; his parents were of Anglo-Irish descent. His father had been a land agent and had served as a juror in the Phoenix Park Murders trial. A grandfather had been Dean of Emly (the cathedral was demolished in 1877), and a great-grandfather was a Member of Parliament for Mayo and younger brother of the 1st Marquess of Sligo.

He showed early musical talent, and by the age of 15 was running the choir and playing the organ for all Sunday services at the church his family attended. He attended Greyfriars Preparatory School in Leamington and in 1903 took up a Classics scholarship at Rugby, having turned down one for mathematics at Harrow. It was at Rugby that Denis Browne first met Rupert Brooke, son of a master and a year older, and they greatly influenced each other. In 1906, Denis Browne pestered Brooke to write a poem for him to set to music for Easter Day. Brooke eventually did so, the result being "A song in praise of Cremation written to my lady on Easter Day"; Brooke was impressed with Denis Browne's musical setting of it.

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