Patrick Brennan

Killed in Action on the 25/09/1915 at Givenchy on the opening day of the Battle of Loos

The Battalion arrived at Boulogne on the 14/08/1914 and were part of the 5th Brigade, 2nd Division. Patrick arrived on the 01/05/1915. He survived under 5 months in France. He was Killed in Action on the opening day of the Battle of Loos on the 25/09/1915 : 6.00am - the now tired reserve Divisions complete their assembly at Noeux-les-Mines and Beuvry. A diversionary attack north of the La Bassee canal at Givenchy was launched by elements of 2nd Division. At first, the advancing battalions moved easily past well-cut wire and into the German front trench which they found evacuated. Approaching the second line they were assailed by machine-gun fire and forced to take cover. Shortly after, they were counter-attacked and were among the first units this day to discover that German grenades were much more effective than British ones when it came to close-quarter fighting. By 9.40am the survivors of the 2/HLI, 1/Queens and 2/Ox & Bucks were back in their original trench, having lost around 950 men in the process of achieving nothing positive. SEE PHOTOS x 6 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY SEPTEMBER 1915. The War Diary casualties for the 25/09/1915 states : 8 Officers and 321 Other Ranks. Scottish Regiments lost a huge amount of brave men at Loos. Here is a list of Infantry Battalions who lost more than 500 men at the Battle of Loos from 25/09/1915 to 16/10/1915 - 7th Cameron Highlanders 687, of which 19 Officers, 9th Black Watch 680, of which 20 Officers, 6th King's Own Scottish Borderers 650, of which 20 Officers, 10th Highland Light Infantry 648, of which 20 Officers, 7th King's Own Scottish Borderers 631, of which 20 Officers, 8th Devons 619, of which 19 Officers, 8th Royal West Kents 580, of which 24 Officers, 8th Buffs 558, of which 24 Officers, 12th Highland Light Infantry 553, of which 23 Officers, 8th Black Watch 511, of which 19 Officers, 5th North Staffordshire 505, of which 20 Officers, 8th Seaforth Highlanders 502, of which 23 Officers. Patrick was 1 of 99 men from the Coatbridge Memorial who fell during and from injuries from the Battle of Loos. Patrick is listed as 3rd BATTALION on the Coatbridge Memorial. Patrick is also remembered on the Gartsherrie Works Roll of Honour (as BRANNAN, 2 photos), St. Patrick's Church (Newspaper clipping) and in the St. Augustine's Parish (book) Rolls of Honour (see photos). See photos for Patrick's Medal Index Card, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his name on the Loos Memorial, his Service Medals and Award Rolls x 2, his CWGC Grave Registration, his name on the Loos Memorial Panel list, the Highland Light Infantry Cap Badge and Patrick's Pension Records x 3. Finally, another photo of the plaque remembering Patrick in the Gartsherrie Bowling Club, Coatbridge kindly donated by my friend Davie Johnstone, Newspaper clippings x 3 (Coatbridge Express x 2 and Coatbridge Leader x 1), wreath placed by myself remembering the men on the Loos Memorial July 2023 x 2, the men of the Highland Light Infantry remembered (Patrick listed middle left) in July 2023, SEE PHOTOS FOR 21 PAGES FROM THE MOST UNFAVOURABLE GROUND BOOK REGARDING THE BATTALION and DIVISION 25/09/1915 (fantastic book on the Battle of Loos kindly signed by the author Niall Cherry), PHOTOS x 16 FOR THE 2nd DIVISION BOOK 25/09/1915, the 2nd Division Order of Battle x 12 (the Division he was serving with when he died), another 2 photos of Patrick's name on the Loos Memorial kindly donated by my friend in France, Thierry Dericbourg and another Newspaper clipping from The Scotsman 11/10/1915.