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The War Grave of Second Lieutenant Thomas Brew DCM of the 2nd Battalion Australian Infantry (AIF), who was killed in action at Broodseinde, Belgium, on 4 October 1917, aged 21, is located in Oxford Road Cemetery in Belgium (Grave 4D.3). His epitaph reads, "Sleep well Tom, Until we meet again".
Thomas was the son of Thomas and Margarite Brew of 23 Harriet Street, Croydon, South Australia, and a native of Southport, England, who served at Gallipoli prior to serving in France. His cousins, brothers Private John Brew and Private Samuel Brew, were both killed in action, whilst a further cousin, Captain Henry Brew, survived the war.
He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal in 1917 by King George V "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He assumed command of and gallantly led his company forward in the face of heavy fire. He set a splendid example of courage and initiative." [London Gazette, 15 June 1917] The DCM was, for NCOs and other ranks, second only to the Victoria Cross.
His service record is held by the National Australian Archives in Canberra, whilst the Australian War Memorial holds a photograph of him as well as a diary and private letters, dating from 1915-1917.
Oxford Road Cemetery is located to the northeast of Ypres (Ieper), outside the village of Sant Jan. It's name derives from a road which ran behind support trenches near this site, nicknamed Oxford Street by Commonwealth troops. The original plot was first used during fighting in the area between August 1917 and April 1918.
A second plot, originally called Oxford Road Cemetery No. 2, was commenced nearby in October 1917, but it was later integrated into the original cemetery when, after the war, scattered graves from the east and southeast of Ypres were also moved to the site. The former Cemetery No. 2 now forms plot 5, whilst the latter, relocated graves now form plots 2, 3, and 4, the last of which is where Thomas Brew is buried. There are 851 burials in the cemetery, 300 of which are unidentified.
Click on an image to see an enlarged version.
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© Photographs taken by Steve Brew on 26 September 2002