The AIF Project

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Embarked Melbourne, 18 February 1916; disembarked Suez, 22 March 1916.

Taken on strength 29th Bn, Brighton Beach, 1 April 1916.

Admitted to No 15 Australian Field Ambulance, Ferry Post, 20 April 1916 (pyrexia of uncertain origin); discharged to duty, 23 April 1916; rejoined 29th Bn, Ferry Post, 25 April 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 16 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 23 June 1916.

Posted missing, 19/20 July 1916.

'Identification Disc received from Germany. No particulars afforded except the soldier is deceased. To be reported as KILLED IN ACTION, FRANCE 19.7.16.' on the authority of Assistant Adjutant General, ANZAC Section from War Office.

A handwritten note on the bottom of the B.103 (p. 5 of file)notes, 'believed buried in vicinity of Fleurbaix, Sheet 36'.

Red Cross File No 511206 has statement by 5770 Pte W.G. WALLACE, 60th Bn (patient, Beaufort War Hospital, Bristol), 9 December 1916: 'Sig. A.J. Eldredge, 2017, B. Coy., 29th Battalion, 8th Infantry Brigade, told me that Breguet went over the top with him and was just in front of him when a shell burst in front of him. They had to retire, but Eldredge saw no more of Breguet and believes he was blown to bits. This happened before I went to France.'

Second statement, 1363 G.L. BAILEY, 29th Bn, 12 February 1917: 'He went over the top at Fleurbaix on the evening of the 19th July. We took the first and second line of German trenches and held them for 18 [?] hours when we were driven out owing to want of ammunition and lack of water. [619 W.]O'Donnell Braquet and [1390 H.J.] Haslam were all reported as missing after the attack. A lot of our men were killed and wounded by machine gun fire behind the German front line. Parties went out for the next two or three night (sic) between our lines and the German front line collecting discs off the bodies but no discs belonging to the above were found.'

Third statement, 2059 Signaller E.C. HOPKINSON, 29th Bn, 19 March 1917: 'He [Breguet] was in the German trenches (front line) on the evening of the 19th July & was quite alright up to about midnight when the German shells became more intense. He was not seen after midnight to my knowledge. He was not seen to be carried away wounded, nor was he seen to be blown up or killed. Not a trace of him was left & it was thought [?he] was taken prisoner but no report has come over so far from that side ... I don't think he had false teeth. He wore a gold ring with either "M" or "Myra" engraved on it.

Originally listed as 'No known grave'; remains identified following discovery of mass grave in 2009.