Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Biography

Bertie Vincent Michael Brennan, or Bertie Vincent, was born in 1893 to Mr Michael Brennan and his wife. He lived in Dalby Queensland. He had pale grey eyes, brown hair and a fresh skin complexion. He weighed 147lbs or 66.7kg and was about average in height, standing just over 5ft and 7inches or 1.7m[1]. His religion was Roman Catholic and he was single but did get married later during the war.

On January the 1st 1916 in the town of Toowoomba in Queensland he enlisted in the A.I.F. After his medical reports concluded he was fit for active service, he was assigned to the 6th unit in the 31st battalion, given his regimental number which was 2875A[2] and receive the rank private. Bertie unfortunately never got any promotions during the time that he served.

April the 13th 1916 was when he embarked on the H.M.F Ceramic for Egypt for military training. He disembarked at Port Said. There he stayed at Abbassia Artillery barracks for training. On the 6/6/1916 he left from Alexandria in Egypt to England where he would then be sent to Etaples in France. He marched in the 5th division base on the 6/9/16. Unfortunately, Bertie was struck with influenza and had to go to hospital. He was admitted to the Fargo hospital. However, after that Bertie re-joined the 31st battalion. Two months later he found himself back in hospital sick, this time with appendicitis which was severe.

Luckily Bertie survived the appendicitis and recovered after just a month, although he was in hospital for the New Year. Bertie went to the depot at Perham Downs after a couple days recovery from the appendicitis. He was now separated from his unit who were already in France. On the 15th of February (now 1917) he proceeded overseas to France. He marched in to Etaples the next day and re-joined his unit.

Bertie, as it turned out, had not had enough of being in hospital. So, in May he came down with a medical condition called varicocele. He was transferred to the general hospital in Camiers (in France). Bertie got better a couple of days later and was discharged to the base depot. Unfortunately, the young man came down sick again. He was sent back to England with an unidentified sickness.

When Bertie arrived in England he was allocated to the hospital in Middlesex, Napsbury. A few months later he was transferred to the 3rd Auxiliary hospital in Dartford. It seems that out of war can come love as Bertie found his wife in England. Her name was Mary Hephizel Thomas. They got married on the 10th of November 1917 in the Roman Catholic church[3] of St. Swithen in Portsmouth. Bertie had several months break from the war, living with his new wife in Portsmouth, England. When Bertie left for Australia she came with him.

On the 15th of January 1918, Bertie forgot protocol and failed to salute a commanding officer and he received, as a punishment, three days confined to the barracks. Bertie finally proceeded back overseas to France, landing back in Etaples. He re-joined his unit on the 17th of August 1918. Nine days later Bertie got a septic knee and was back in hospital. The young soldier travelled back to England and was admitted to the Lord Derby War Hospital, Warrington. [4]

It was 20th of November and Bertie had marched into the Depot at Sutton Veny. This is because Bertie travelled back to Australia on a ship called the Karmala. He then disembarked at Melbourne for Brisbane back to where is home was. He was kept as a reserve for two months. From Queensland, on the 11/4/19, he was officially discharged from the A.I.F. for being medically unfit with a septic right knee.

He lived to the age of 61 years, dying on the 12th of February 1955. He was buried in the Toowoomba Cemetery. His wife died 4 years later and was buried in the same cemetery. Bertie received two service medals: the British War medal and the Victory medal.

Bertie showed the A.N.Z.A.C. spirit by voluntarily enlisting in the A.I.F. Besides the mateship he showed to his brothers in arms, he also showed great endurance and courage. This was because even though he came down with influenza, appendicitis, varicocele and more, he kept returning and not giving up showing resilience. He didn’t commit any offence to any commanding officer except the time where he forgot to salute. It took a septic knee to send Bertie back to Australia and only because he was declared disabled and unfit for active service.[6]

Bibliography
1.       https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Gallery151/dist/JGalleryViewer.aspx?B=3116817&S=1&N=57&R=0#/SearchNRetrieve/NAAMedia/ShowImage.aspx?B=3116817&T=P&S=13

2.       http://www.tr.qld.gov.au/facilities-recreation/cemeteries/deceased-search

3.       https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=31455

4.       https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P10620152

5.       https://anzacday.org.au/the-spirit-of-anzac

[1]https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=31455
[2]https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P10620152
[3]https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Gallery151/dist/JGalleryViewer.aspx?B=3116817&S=1&N=57&R=0#/SearchNRetrieve/NAAMedia/ShowImage.aspx?B=3116817&T=P&S=13

 
[4]https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Gallery151/dist/JGalleryViewer.aspx?B=3116817&S=1&N=57&R=0#/SearchNRetrieve/NAAMedia/ShowImage.aspx?B=3116817&T=P&S=13
[5]http://www.tr.qld.gov.au/facilities-recreation/cemeteries/deceased-search
[6]https://anzacday.org.au/the-spirit-of-anzac