Breen T F P Major Royal Army Medical Corps

Major THOMAS FRANCIS PENNEFATHER BREEN

Major T. F. Pennefather Breen, R.A.M.C., born 1889 and killed in action on September 18th, 1918, was the elder son of the late Doctor Breen and Mrs. Breen, of Dublin. He came to Stonyhurst in 1900, and was a boy of much character. Freddie, for so he was known amongst us, had a good standing in his class. He was a prize-man, and when in Poetry, in 1905, gained the first prize for debating, given by the Stonyhurst Association. He was a fluent and ready speaker. On leaving Stonyhurst he went to Trinity College, Dublin, where he took the B.A. and M.B. degrees. In 1913 he passed into the Army Medical Service from Trinity College, one of the two successful candidates out of twenty-seven from Ireland at that examination. This he did without any special cramming.

On the outbreak of the war he crossed over to France with the first British Expeditionary Force, and was attached to the 11th Field Ambulance during the retreat from Mons. Subsequently he served as Regimental Medical Officer with the 1st Bn. The Rifle Brigade, having been specially asked for by the Colonel. He was twice called to the 3rd Army School of Instruction, his lecturing powers being of a high order. He also twice served as D.A.D.M.S., and he exhibited in a marked degree high qualities of initiative and administrative capacity. Finally, he served during the last advance with the 142nd Field Ambulance, and when his Colonel was wounded, commanded the Ambulance, during some of the severest fighting. At the time of his death he was performing an exceptionally gallant and unselfish action. Having led a bearer party, under heavy shell fire, in order to rescue some wounded officers, he passed through the barrage once, bringing in one comrade. He then went out a second time alone, and did not return. This was during the Battle of Epchy, second of the Battles of the Hindenburg Line.

As his Colonel wrote:-

He died as he lived, an honourable, gallant gentleman. His coolness and bravery were known to all. It was, in fact, his zeal and unselfish devotion to duty that cost him his life.

As his late Commanding Officer, I should like to say how much I valued him, both as a friend and as an officer of the ambulance. He was absolutely fearless and self-sacrificing, and my last act before being evacuated wounded from France was to recommend him for a Military Cross. The news of his death came as a great shock to me personally, for I had grown very fond of him.

From a brother officer’s letter we learn that:-

He was very popular with everyone, and such a splendid soldier; his men would follow him througli anything.

Another tells us:-

He was one of my most esteemed friends, though a good deal younger than me. We mobilised together, and I was able to observe him in all sorts of trying circumstances, and we were frequently under fire together, and I formed a very high opinion of hit character, and looked upon him as one of the coming men in the R.A.M.C. One of his traits that specially impressed me was his independence of mind. He kept steadily to his own high standard of living, quite regardless of the morals of the company he lived in. For a quite young man to do this in military society is a sign of exceptional strength of character. But with it all there was never the slightest pose or priggishtiess Of his physical courage you will probably have heard from others. I know by experience that it was of a very high order, But I write to you because I think that others who did not know him so well as 1 did may not have mentioned his moral courage, a rarer and higher thing.

We may aptly conclude this account with the words written by an officer and friend

His memory survives to us as invigorating and vital. Age, disillusion, decay, never tonched him. Like a bright flame he burnt, and is suddenly extinguished to his friends the world is darker.

Source : Stonyhurst Roll Of Honour 1914-1918

BREEN, THOMAS FRANCIS PENNEFATHER, Major, Royal Army Medical Corps, elder s. of the late Thomas John Breen, Inspector-General of Hospitals and Fleets, Royal Navy, by his wife, Mary, dan. of William Pennefather, of Ballylanigan, co. Tipperary: b. Dublin, 8 June, 1889; edne. Stonyhurst College, and Trinity College, Dublin, where he took his B.A. and M.B. degrees: gazetted Lient. Royal Army Medical Corps in Feb. 1914: promoted Capt, the following Aug. and Major in March, 1918; on the outbreak of war served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from Aug. 1914. and was attached to the 11th Field Ambulance, taking part in the Retreat from Mons, and in the operations on the Aisne was subsequently attached to the 1st Rifle Brigade as Regimental Medical Officer, and later twice appointed D.A.D.M.S.: in 1918 was attached to the 142nd Field Ambulance which he commanded during some of the severest fighting in the final push, and was killed in action on 18 Sept, following, while gallantly rescuing the wounded under heavy shell fire. Buried at Monchies, north of the Bapaume-Cambrai Road. His Commanding Officer wrote: “He died as he lived, an honourable. gallant gentleman. His coolness and bravery were known to all. It was, in fact, his zeal and unselfish devotion to duty that cost him his life. I should like to say how much I valued him, both as a friend and an officer of the ambulance. He was absolutely fearless and self-sacrificing, and my last act, before being evacuated wounded from France, was to recommend him for a Military Cross,” and a brother officer:”He was very popular with everyone, and such a splendid soldier, his men would follow him everywhere.” Another also wrote: “He was one of my most esteemed friends, though a good deal younger than me.. … We were frequently under fire together, and I formed a very high opinion of his character, and looked upon him as one of the coming men of the Royal Army Medical Corps. One of his traits that specially impressed me was his independence of mind. He kept steadily to his own high standard quite regardless of the company he lived in. Of his physical courage you will probably have heard from others. but I write because I think that others. who did not know him so well as I did, may not have mentioned his moral courage, a rarer and a higher thing.” Unm

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 5