The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (503) Sergeant Hugh Brennan, 20th Battalion, First World War

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Robyn Siers, the story for this day was on (503) Sergeant Hugh Brennan, 20th Battalion, First World War. The address is read by Squadron Leader Alison Spark.

503 Sergeant Hugh Brennan, 20th Battalion
KIA 6 April 1918
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 5 March 2014

Today we remember and pay tribute to Sergeant Hugh Brennan.

Hugh Brennan was born in British Columbia, Canada, in 1888. He served a five-year apprenticeship on the Union Pacific Railway in Canada and went on to become an engineer. He spoke several languages very well, and spent three years serving with the Princess Patricia Infantry in the Canadian Militia before coming to Australia in 1909.

Brennan enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in March 1915 and from then on was always known as "Hughie". Upon arriving on Gallipoli five months later he "could scarce tell the difference between a bomb and a potato", but he quickly became a noted bomb-thrower. He was recommended for decoration three times during his stay at ANZAC Cove, and was mentioned in the Army Corps Routine Order of 9 October 1915 for "the excellent reconnaisances made by him on more than one occasion". The citation read, "the manner in which the work of this NCO was performed showed daring skill and resource". In early 1916 he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal in recognition of his resourcefulness and bravery.

By the end of the year Brennan was admitted to hospital in Heliopolis with enteric fever and frostbite and went back to Australia to recover. While in hospital he was regularly interviewed by reporters and featured in a number of newspaper articles in which he recounted his many exciting exploits. At least some of these appear to have been exaggerated; by the time he was on his way back to the war it was being widely reported that he had won both the Distinguished Conduct Medal and the Victoria Cross, for which Brennan was never recommended.

By December 1916 Brennan was back in France and had rejoined his battalion in the field. He was promoted to sergeant and continued to serve his battalion with distinction as commander of 7 Platoon, B Company.

In early April 1918 the 20th Battalion was in the support line near the French village of Hangard. Brennan was ordered to take his platoon to occupy an advanced post. Although he had been supplied with a guide from the unit they were relieving, the party became lost and ran into a German strong point. Brennan was heard to say, "Get down, the Germans are here," before heavy machine-gun fire opened up. About half the men were able to return, bringing the wounded and dead with them. Sergeant Brennan was the only man not accounted for.

Although a party went out the following night to search for him, no trace of Brennan was found. While many rumours circulated about his fate, in October 1918 a court of inquiry ruled that Sergeant Hugh Brennan had been killed in action on 6 April 1918 at the age of thirty. He has no known resting place.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, along with more than 60,000 others from the First World War. There is no photograph in the Memorial's collection to display beside the Pool of Reflection.

This is but one of the many stories of courage and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Sergeant Hugh Brennan, and all of those Australians who have given their lives in the service of our nation.