William Gregory BRENNAN

BRENNAN, William Gregory

Service Number: 1099
Enlisted: 17 August 1914, Enlisted at Kensington, NSW
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 3rd Infantry Battalion
Born: Wellington, New South Wales, Australia, 1894
Home Town: Montefiores, Wellington, New South Wales
Schooling: St Patrick's Convent School, Wellington, New South Wales
Occupation: Postal Worker
Died: Head wounds, At sea on board HS Somali, Gallipoli, Dardanelles, Turkey, 24 July 1915
Cemetery: No known grave - "Known Unto God"
No known grave, buried at sea Chaplain W. McKenzie officiated Panel 19, Lone Pine Memorial, Gallipoli Peninsula, Canakkale Province, Turkey
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Lone Pine Memorial to the Missing, Wellington Cenotaph, Wellington Hall of Memory Honour Roll
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World War 1 Service

17 Aug 1914: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1099, 3rd Infantry Battalion, Enlisted at Kensington, NSW
20 Oct 1914: Involvement Private, 1099, 3rd Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Euripides embarkation_ship_number: A14 public_note: ''
20 Oct 1914: Embarked Private, 1099, 3rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Euripides, Sydney

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Biography contributed by Carol Foster

Son of William Collins Brennan and Catherine M. Brennand of Montefiores, NSW. Brother of Edmund Joseph Brennan of Wellington, NSW who returned to Australia on 29 July 1919 having served with the 5th Light Horse Regiment Headquarters and the Camel Corps Headquarters

The first Wellington soldier to sacrifice his life on the battlefield at Gallipoli is Private W. [William Gregory] Brennan, son of Mr and Mrs. W. C. Brennan, of Montefiores. On Tuesday, Monsignor Long received a telegram from the Defence Department stating that Private Brennan had died on the 24th July as a result of wounds received in action; and asked him to break the news to the parents. As the Monsignor was unwell, the painful task was delegated to Father Eviston, who informed Mr. and Mrs. Brennan of the fate that had befallen their son. It came as a greater shock as it was only the previous day that his mother received a letter from him, in which he wrote cheerfully of the happenings around him. Several friends also received cards from him on Monday, and this made the news that he had been killed all the more painful. When it became known that Private Brennan had fallen on the battlefield, general regret was expressed, and the deepest sympathy was felt with the bereaved parents, who, have, however consolation that he died nobly doing his duty. The dead soldier was only about 23 years of age, and was well and favorably known in the town and district. He was for a time employed in the local post office and was held in high esteem by his brother officials and the public with whom he came in contact. Mr. and Mrs. Brennan have the deep sympathy of all in the loss they have sustained.

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