William George BRENNAN

BRENNAN, William George

Service Number: 47
Enlisted: 14 July 1915
Last Rank: Gunner
Last Unit: 14th Field Artillery Brigade
Born: Gravesend, England, 14 May 1886
Home Town: Adelaide, South Australia
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Butcher
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World War 1 Service

14 Jul 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Gunner, 47, 32nd Infantry Battalion
18 Nov 1915: Involvement Private, 47, 32nd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Geelong embarkation_ship_number: A2 public_note: ''
18 Nov 1915: Embarked Private, 47, 32nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Geelong, Adelaide
15 Mar 1916: Transferred AIF WW1, Gunner, 14th Field Artillery Brigade , William George Brennan was transferred to the 14th Field Artillery Brigade on the 15/3/16.
16 Aug 1916: Wounded Gunner, 47, 14th Field Artillery Brigade , William George Brennan received a gunshot wound to his leg, severe.
26 Oct 1917: Discharged AIF WW1, Gunner, 47, 14th Field Artillery Brigade , William George Brennan was discharged for being Medically Unfit. His total service was for 2 years and 105 days.

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Biography contributed by Adelaide High School

William George Brennan was born of the 14th of May 1886, in Gravesend, England. He was Roman Catholic. He was married to a woman called Mrs Ada May Brennan. Like many others of his age, he went off to war with his leaving behind his wife to go fight for the country.

 

On the 9th of July 1915, William George Brennan, 29, enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force. He had hazel eyes and dark hair. On the date of enlistment, he weighed 150 lbs, and was 5 ft 4 inches.  He was very successful on the battlefield, as he was promoted from being a Gunner to a Bombardier on the 15/3/1916 and was also transferred from the 32nd Infantry Battalion to the 14th Field Artillery Brigade on the same day. A letter was sent to his wife on the 16th of August, informing her that he had a gunshot wound in his leg, which was severe. This must have been a very traumatic experience for Mrs Ada May Brennan. William had suffered the wound on 19th July 1916, at Fromelles.

 

William George Brennan returned to Australia in September 1917 and was discharged on the 26th of October 1917, due to being medically unfit. In his life, he served a total of 2 years and 105 days, and his total service abroad was 1 year and 308 days.  Brennan wrote a letter to military headquarters on the 5th of October 1926, saying that he had still not received his war medals even though he had been discharged for 9 years. William George Brennan was supposed to receive the 1914/15 Star, the British War Medal, and the Victory Medal. William George Brennan was a very heroic and courageous man who fought for the country and should be respected for fighting to keep the citizens on Australia safe.

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