BREWITT, John William
| Service Number: | 3081 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 6th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Holme Pierrepont, Bingham, Radcliffe-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire England., 1 January 1895 |
| Home Town: | Sassafras, Yarra Ranges, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Farm labourer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Menin Road Ridge, Belgium, 20 September 1917, aged 22 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Commemorated on the YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL Panel 7 - 17 - 23 - 25 - 27 - 29 - 31 , Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Flanders, Belgium |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Menin Gate Memorial (Commonwealth Memorial to the Missing of the Ypres Salient), Monbulk Avenue of Honour and Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 29 Sep 1915: | Involvement Private, 3081, 6th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '8' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: RMS Osterley embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 29 Sep 1915: | Embarked Private, 3081, 6th Infantry Battalion, RMS Osterley, Melbourne |
Help us honour John William Brewitt's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
1901 Census
Living in East Bridgford with mother Elizabeth (maiden name Rodgers) brother Joseph, who also served in WWI and sister Annie. His father is living with William and Jane Pike in Holme Pierrepont.
1911 Census
Age 16, employed as a farm servant by Henry Brailsford Wood at Holly Farm, Bassingfield, Notts.
Military Unit: 6th Australian Infantry Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Australian Imperial Force
Theatres of War: Egypt; France and Flanders
Previously served in the 1/8th Bn, The Sherwood Foresters, Territorial Force, England.
8.7.15 Enlisted as a Private in 6th Battalion, 10th Reinforcements in Sassafras, Victoria, Australia
29.9.15: Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT RMS Osterley.
November 15. Disembarked Suez, train to Heliopolis for training with Battalion in Egypt.
7.1.16: War service: taken on strength, 6th Battalion, Tel el Kebir.
26.3.16: Proceeded from Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force. Embarked with Battalion for France per SS Ballarat.
2.4.16: Disembarked Marseilles to Bailleul.
Transferred in France to 6th Battalion, Machine Gun Company.
25. 7.16. Wounded in action (gun shot wound, left shoulder) at the start of the Battle of Pozières (July 23rd – Sept 3rd 1916). Admitted to No. 1 Canadian General Hospital, Etaples.
7.8.16: Discharged to Base Depot.
Rejoined his battalion at some point. They were at Ypres immediately after Pozières then returned to the Somme during the winter of 1916 for defensive duties.
His unit was at Ypres in 1917. He was killed during the Battle of Menin Road Ridge (20th – 26th September), which was part of the Third Battle of Ypres. He was posted missing after the Battle of Polygon Wood which took place from 26th September – 3rd October. No further word.
Pension granted to his to father of 10s per fortnight.
Arrived Australia at South Sassafras with William Coleman in December 1913 where he then worked as a labourer before enlisting.
Biography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
Births Mar 1895 Brewitt John William Bingham 7b 502
Bingham spans the boundaries of the counties of Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire.
He was the son of James William (died 16/10/1931 aged 58) and Elizabeth (died 3/3/1933 aged 59) Brewitt of Saxondale, Bingham, Nottinghamshire. Both are buried in St Peter's churchyard, East Bridgford, Nottinghamshire. In 1911, whilst John’s parents were still living in a 5 room house in Holme Lane with John’s siblings Joseph aged 13, Annie Elsie aged 10, Albert aged 9, Ernest aged 6, and 3 year old twins Susie and Alice. John, by then aged 16, had moved up the road to Holly Farm, Bassingfield.
He worked for Henry Brailsford Wood of Holly Farm, Bassingfield as a farm servant. He served with the 8th Sherwood Foresters Territorial Force.
On 5th November 1913, aged 17, he emigrated to Melbourne. John enlisted with the 6th Battalion Australian Infantry on the 8th July 1915 and embarked from Melbourne aboard HMAT Osterley on 29th September 1915. In March 1916 he proceeded from Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force and disembarked in Marseille in April. On 25th July 1916 he was wounded in action, admitted to the Canadian General Hospital in Etaples and discharged in August 1916. He was killed, aged 22, during the 3rd Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele).
He is remembered on the
1- Holme Pierrepont - St Edmund's Church War Memorial
St Edmund, Holme Pierrepont Hall Drive, Holme Pierrepont. Lych Gate c1921, Grade II listed, 1249196 (Nov. 1986). There are plaques either side of the lych-gate. One commemorates the names of those who died, 'In memory of those who gave their lives in the cause of freedom, 1914-1919.' The other records the names of 15 men who served and returned, 'Remembering with thanksgiving those who answered the call of their country and by the grace of God returned.'
2-Family headstone, St Peter's churchyard, East Bridgford: ‘In loving memory of James William Brewitt who died Octr. 16th 1931 aged 58 years. Also Elizabeth, wife of the above who died March 3rd. 1933, aged 59 years. Also John William, son of the above killed in action in France Sepr. 20th 1917, aged 22 years. There’s nothing but peace can betide; sweet peace, the gift of God’s love.’
Click images to start slideshow.