2722896 Lance-Corporal Patrick Gerald BRENNAN, MM, 3 Irish Guards

Date of Enlistment: March 1941
Army Number: 2722896
Rank: Lance-Corporal
Name: Patrick Gerald BRENNAN, MM
Unit: 3 Irish Guards


London Gazette : 19 October 1944
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/36753/supplement/4789/data.pdf
The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the following awards in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in North West Europe: —
The Military Medal
No. 2722896 Lance-Corporal Patrick Gerald Brennan, Irish Guards (Belfast).

 

From War Diary, 3rd Battalion Irish Guards, 4th August, 1944:
COURTEIL: The Bn held a position astride the road just to the WEST of COURTEIL. All coys were subjected to fairly heavy shelling and the two forward coys exchanged S.A. fire with enemy who were dug in not more than 100 yds in front of them. At Stand-To this morning, Bn HQ was itself attacked by enemy approximately a platoon in strength. This attack was broken up by a section of the Carrier platoon and Capt. W.R.R.S. BRUCE with a captured Browning mounted on his carrier - the enemy suffered heavy casualties. Casualties suffered during the day were four ORs killed and 16 ORs wounded, and were mainly caused by shelling and Mortar fire.


From History of the Irish Guards, FitzGerald, page 434:
That day (the 4th), the 3rd Battalion widened its positions Southward. The forward companies were under constant small-arms fire from the Germans who were dug in not more than a hundred yards in front of them. No. 2 Company were ordered to send two platoons a mile south to join and protect the Armoured Brigade’s battery of self-propelled anti-tank guns who were operating on the fields and tracks east of BEAULIEU. Captain ELLISON WOODS had just arrived to take command of the Company and this was his first action. He walked up to a gateway to take a look at the fields and was killed by a sniper. Captain A. HENDRY took over command and the Company reached a low hill (Point 176) where they were joined by the self-propelled battery. Here they fought a separate battle for forty-eight hours, during which Lieutenant T. [STAFFORD-]KING-HARMAN was killed gallantly charging a Spandau. The rest of the Battalion remained all day in their positions, losing four men killed and nineteen men wounded, chiefly by shell-fire. In the late afternoon a small carrier force was sent to help Lieutenant [STAFFORD-]KING-HARMAN’s platoon, which was being constantly attacked. Lance-Corporal BRENNAN, of this force, destroyed one machine-gun himself, but was wounded in the leg in the process. His single-handed success was remarkable; even more remarkable was his long crawl back through the fields to the platoon.

 

The National Archives | DocumentsOnline | Image Details
Name Brennan, Patrick Gerald
Rank: Lance Corporal
Service No: 2722896
Regiment: 3 Battalion Irish Guards
Theatre of Combat or Operation: North West Europe 1944-45
Award: Military Medal
Date of Announcement in London Gazette: 19 October 1944

2722896 Lance-Corporal Patrick Gerald BRENNAN, 3rd Battalion IRISH GUARDS

This NCO was a member of a bren carrier force on 4 Aug 44 supporting SP guns which were being considerably harassed by an enemy MG nest in the area Pt 176 nr BEAULIEU. L/Cpl BRENNAN went forward alone of is own accord with a bren gun to eliminate this nest. He succeeded in silencing the enemy MG but was himself wounded in the leg in the process. In spite of his wound, however, he crawled under constant fire from other enemy weapons to s slit trench and lay there for 45 mins. He then succeeded in crawling the remaining distance to his own lines though still under fire from the enemy.

L/Cpl BRENNAN’s gallant action undoubtedly prevented other casualties amongst his comrades and at the same time enabled the SP guns to carry out their task.

 

My father knew L/Cpl Brennan, who was also from Belfast and had trained with him before embarkation.
When Brennan was still recovering from his wounds, Dad visited him in hospital.


Lt. Stafford-King-Harmon who was mentioned in the excerpt quoted above was the officer commanding No. 1 Platoon, my father's platoon.

 

Campaign Stars & Medals :
1939-45 Star
France & Germany Star

Defence Medal
War Medal 1939-45

Address of NOK redacted (application 1997)