Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

From François Berthout

Today, it is with a lot of gratitude and respect in my heart that I want to pay a very respectful tribute to Private number 3036 Clement Gordon Brockie who fought in the 5th Australian Infantry Battalion and who was killed in action 104 ago years agon,on July 25, 1916 at the age of 19 on the Somme front.

Clement Gordon Brockie was born in October 1896 in Benalla, Australia, and was the son of James Conn Brockie and Charlotte Brockie, he had a twin brother, John Gordon Brockie and they lived at "Deeside", 367 Kooyong Road, Elsternwick, Victoria, Australia.Clement was educated at Benalla East State School, Victoria and before the war he worked as a carpenter.

Enlisted on July 10, 1915 with his brother John on July 10, 1915 in Melbourne, Victoria in the 5th Australian Infantry Battalion, 10th Reinforcement, he embarked with his unit from Melbourne, on board RMS Osterley on September 29, 1915 and sailed for Egypt where he was disembarked at Tel El Kebir on January 7, 1916 and received his training at Serapeum then he embarked with his battalion in Alexandria on March 25, 1916 for France where he was disembarked in Marseilles on March 30, 1916 before joining the trenches of the Somme front.

Unfortunately it is here, in the Somme, that Clement met his destiny and was killed in action on July 25, 1916 at 3:00 am during the offensive to take the village of Pozieres, he was only 19 years old.
Today, Clement Gordon Brockie rests in peace with his comrades and brothers in arms in Pozieres British Cemetery and his grave bears the following inscription "Dearly loved and sadly missed by all, a noble sacrifice".

Clement Gordon Brockie's twin brother,John Gordon Brockie survived the war and died on April 23, 1944 in Finley, New South Wales.
Clement, child of Australia, so young and so brave, you belonged to a generation of heroes, so young, you were already, in your heart a very brave man who wanted to serve and fight alongside your brothers in arms, proudly wearing the colors of Australia and carrying on the shoulders the weight of the hopes of all peoples, serving alongside your brother, for your family, for your country, for France, at 19, you gave all the parts of your youth in this war which shattered so many lives, shattering spirits, bodies, drowning your comrades in the mud of the Somme, you fought like the bravest of men, through the darkness of war, you were the light of hope, courage, the sun and the pride of Australia facing the violence and fury of war, in the trenches where so many young men like you gave their lives, you did your duty with great bravery.Full of hope, of life, you saw death every day but also the bravery, devotion, courage, the valiant heart of a whole generation of men who fought with you for France and who fought all together for a just cause, freedom and peace, for a world, a future without war, so that the next generations can live without seeing again the fury and the tragedy of a world at war and today we do not forget , we do not forget what you have done for us Clement, we will always remember who you were, a brave young man and who you are today, a man, a hero and in my heart, with a deep admiration and great gratitude, you will always be one of my boys of the Somme, you will never be forgotten.your name will live forever.🌺

Twin brother to 3037 John Gordon (Jock) Brockie (/explore/people/71113), who survived the war

"...3036 Private Clement Gordon Brockie, 5th Battalion, of Elsternwick, Vic. A carpenter prior to enlistment Pte Brockie embarked along with his brother 3037 Pte John Gordon Brockie with the 10th Reinforcements from Melbourne on RMS Osterley on 29th September 1915. Pte Clement Brockie was killed in action on 25th July 1916 aged 19 and is buried in the Pozieres British Cemetery, Ovillers-La-Boisselle, France." - SOURCE (www.awm.gov.au)