Major Garrett Brenan

[kildaremark]

This officer appears to have served with the Antrim RGA pre-war.

From the London Gazette and Medal Index Cards I have extracted the following:-

- Overseas to France on 29 April 1916.

- Appointed Acting Major as commander of Battery on 9 December 1916.

- Awarded Croix de Guerre 23 July 1918.

- MIC gives 79th Siege Battery, 69th Brigade.

- Reverted to Captain on ceasing to command battery on 1 Nov 1919.

- Post-war address was Officer's Mess, Fermoy, Co. Cork (RGA had a battery here) and later Tullamore, King's Co., Ireland on MIC.

He served post war with the Artillery Corps of the Irish Free State Army for a period as Instructional Officer.

Can anyone confirm if he was Battery Commander of 79th Siege Battery or any other details - birth / death etc?

Thanks

Mark

[rflory]

Mark: A hard man to research as he was a pre-war RGA Special Reserve officer. Here is what I can tell you:

Was an officer in The Antrim, RGA SR from 1906.

Promoted to Captain, RGA SR on 1 May 1909

GSO 3 in the UK from 5 Aug 14 to 27 April 1916

Served in France and Belgium from 28 April 1916 to 11 Nov 1918

Appointed an Acting Major on 9 Dec 1916

It appears that he commanded a Siege Battery from Dec 1916, but he certainly commanded 79th Siege Battery in 1918.

Mentioned in Despatches in the London Gazette of 21 May 1918 and 23 Dec 1918

Chevalier of the Belgian Order of the Crown and the Belgian Croix de Guerre in the London Gazette of 25 July 1918

His officer's service papers are at TNA under WO339/39298.

Regards, Dick Flory

[kildaremark]

Thanks Dick

If there was anything on him, you would have it!

Mark