BRODIE, Benjamin Greenup
| Service Number: | 717 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 4 August 1915, Liverpool, New South Wales |
| Last Rank: | Captain |
| Last Unit: | 34th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia, 1885 |
| Home Town: | Kensington, Randwick, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Public School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Commercial traveller |
| Died: | Killed In Action, Belgium, 5 March 1918 |
| Cemetery: |
Berks Cemetery Extension Plot II, Row A, Grave no. 33 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Baulkham Hills William Thompson Masonic School War Memorial, Sydney United Grand Lodge Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 4 Aug 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 717, Liverpool, New South Wales | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 May 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Sergeant, 717, 34th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Hororata embarkation_ship_number: A20 public_note: '' | |
| 2 May 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Sergeant, 717, 34th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Hororata, Sydney | |
| 12 Aug 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant | |
| 11 Feb 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant | |
| 7 Jun 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 34th Infantry Battalion, Battle of Messines | |
| 11 Jan 1918: | Promoted AIF WW1, Captain, 34th Infantry Battalion | |
| 5 Mar 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Captain, 34th Infantry Battalion, German Spring Offensive 1918, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: awm_unit: 34th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Captain awm_died_date: 1918-03-05 |
WW1
Details of this Officer are published in the book "Just Soldiers" written by WO1 Darryl Kelly published 2004 - refer to chapter 6 pages 35 to 40
Submitted 30 December 2019 by Maxwell HILL
Biography contributed by William Valarezo
PLOEGSTEERT WOOD 2:30 am. Small silent Raid with a strength of 2 Officers, 2 NCO's and 22 men was put over from "B" Coy's Sector against the enemy's front line. Object to gain identification Kill Bosches and destroy dugouts. The Raiders were divided into two parties. Lieutenant: Ernest SHANNON with 12 men to enter the enemy trench from the right Lieutenant: 717 Benjamin Greenup BRODIE. and 12 men to enter from the left. Both parties to work towards the centre. The enterprise was entirely successful and was only marred by the death of Lieutenant: SHANNON a very gallant and efficient Officer.
The Right party entered enemy's trench without opposition but after bombing the first dugout, were attacked by a number of the enemy who issued from the rear of a second dugout. Lieutenant: Ernest SHANNON was killed by a bomb thrown by one of his own party. Our men immediately attacked the enemy and forced them back to the dugout, where they destroyed them by throwing in bombs.
The left party Lieutenant BRODIES met considerable opposition in passing through the enemy wire, but succeeded in entering the trench and destroying two dugouts and the enemy who occupied them. As it was now broad daylight and the enemy opposition increased, the parties withdrew to our own front line. The men of Lieutenant: SHANNON's party displayed great determination and bravery in bringing back his body in broad daylight under heavy fire from the enemy trenches. The original time set down for this enterprise was 1:30 am but by order of higher authority it was postponed to 2:30 am to coincide with other enterprises which were supported by artillery fire on our right flank.
As our own enterprise was a silent one, and it was in broad daylight at 3:00 am this only allowed 30 minutes for the crossing of "No Mans Land". The negotiation of the enemy's wire and the cleaning up of his trenches. This restriction of time was a great handicap to the enterprise. Enemy artillery active battery work on our batteries in rear of Ploegsteert Wood. 5:00 pm Headquarters partially destroyed by enemy artillery fire. Lieutenant: SHANNON buried in Military Cemetery in rear of the wood.- 34th battalion aif history mentions Lieutenant Brodie in action
Captain: 717 Benjamin Greenup BRODIE stormed up to the parapet, urging the Diggers into the trench. As he directed his men towards shelter, a burst from a machine-gun hit him in the side and chest. He dropped to his knees, but continued to yell commands. The stretcher-bearers grabbed their fallen captain and frantically pushed shell dressings into his gaping wounds.- 34th battalion AIF history
Biography contributed by Elizabeth Allen
Benjamin Greenup BRODIE was born in 1885 in Parramatta
His parents were William Alfred BRODIE and Georgina Sophia Louisa WINCHCONBE who married in 1877 in Sydney
Benjamin married Mary RUSSELL in 1911 in Sydney and had two children, Nancy & Geoffrey.
Member of the Coolamon 263 Lodge
He enlisted in Liverpool, Sydney on 4th August, 1915 as a Sergeant with the 34th Battalion, C Company which embarked from Sydney on 2nd May, 1916 on the HMAT Hororata
He was wounded at Messines in 1917 and gassed at Passchendaele in October 1917.
He was one of five officers concurrently recommended for an Award in early 1918, but not all were recognised, Benjamin among them.
Benjamin was Killed in Action on 5th March, 1918 at Warneton, France - he was buried in Chateau Rosenberg Military Cemetery and later exhumed and reburied in Berks Cemetery Extension in Belgium
His name is memorialised on the Australian War Memorial, Baulkham Hills WW1 Memorial and the William Thompson Masonic School.
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Trove article - Sydney Stock & Station Jounral 29th March, 1918 page 20
DEATH OF CAPTAIN B.G. BRODIE
A private cable message has been received intimating that Captain Benjamin Greenup Brodie was killed in France on March 5. In previous engagements he was wounded at Messines and again at Passchendaele and was gassed on both occasions. He left for the front in May, 1916 as a Sergeant and was previously for over 12 months performing camp duties. He gained all his promotions on the battlefield. Captain Brodie was the second son of Mr. W.A. Brodie of Brodie & Co. Sydney and a nephew of the late Mr. F.E. Winchcombe M.L.C. and the Rev. J. Howell-Price. He has left a widow and two children
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Sydney Morning Herald 5th March, 1919
IN MEMORIAM
On Active Service
BRODIE - In loving memory of my dear husband and my dear dad, Captain B.G. Brodie, killed in action in France March 5, 1918 whilst commanding officer of big raid, Warneton
Inserted by his sorrowing wife & little ones, Nancy and Geoffrey
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