James Brennan OAM (1917 - 2000)

Born 9 Oct 1917 in Laverton, Western Australia, Australia

Died 31 Dec 2000 at age 83 in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, Australia

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Biography

James Brennan OAM is an Indigenous Australian.

The Ancestry 'Brennan Family Tree' has that James Brennan was born on 9 October 1917 at Skull Creek near Laverton but with no source given^[1]. However, when he enlisted in WWII in 1940, he gave his age as 22^[2], which is consistent with the above, and the exact date is given in his WWII Military Service Record and his FindAGrave record (see below).

James Brennan's youngest daughter Joan Tucker [married name] refers to an Aboriginal war at Skull Creek, when James was an infant, resulting in the loss of his mother. There is no mention of his father, but "with his aunty, he was given to a black smith named James [Daniel] Brennan, and that's how he got his name" (ref.2). He "was brought up by his adopted father until around the age of five, when he was taken by authorities to the Moore River Native Settlement" (op.cit.). How long he remained there is not apparently published. The Brennan Family Tree indicates that his biological father was named 'Tony Blankard' but without any evidence, who was probably not an Indigenous person.

Before joining the Australian Army in 1940, he had worked as a Stockman, and when he enlisted at Claremont, Western Australia, he was given Service No. WX7218; giving his birth date as 9 October 1917, place as Laverton, Western Australia; and next of kin, his uncle Bert Thomas [on his mother's side - one of Gloria Brennan's Aboriginal Grandmothers].

James was sent to the Middle East in the 2/28 Battalion, where according to Joan Tucker he was one of the 'Rats of Tobruk', was captured at El Alamein on 26 July 1942 by German-Italian forces and was sent to prisoner of war camps in north Italy. When the Italians were defeated he escaped and fought with the partisans against the Nazis (ref.2). He had learnt to speak Italian but was recaptured by the Germans [in 1945] and sent to Stalag 7 in the heart of Germany. He escaped again, returned to the Allied lines, and was returned to the WA Goldfields^[3].

In November 1945 he married Myrtle Goodilyer in St George's Cathedral, Perth, Western Australia having gained the approval of the Moore River Native Settlement (op.cit.). He also visited the Mount Margaret Mission in 'late 1945' where he had his photograph taken with Bert Thomas (a Preacher) and Bert's wife Doris^[4]; the Series description has: "Photographs relating to the Ngadju and Mirning people and Arthur Dimer for the book Black and white and in between : Arthur Dimer and the Nullarbor ; BA3040/​38". Does this imply that Jame's and Myrtle's children, including Gloria were not of the Nyanganyatjara people but of the Ngadju or Mirning people, whose lands were between those of the former and the Great Australian Bight? However, unless proved otherwise, it must be assumed that Gloria's father was of the same affiliation as she was as no other is given.

Despite having put his life on the line for his country, serving for 5 years and receiving 5 military medals, when he returned, he, and Myrtle still had to get citizenship rights to go into pubs to get a drink! The citizenship papers allowed them access to towns but restricted access to their relatives.

They moved back to the Eastern Goldfields and spent the next 19 years at the Sons of Gwalia Mine near Leonora. They had 4 children, Hector [James], Gloria, Joan and Ronald^[5].

In 1949, James Brennan was on the Electoral Roll (ER) at 56 Gwalia Street, Leonora as a Miner. On the 1954 ER he was at Leonora as a Labourer; on the 1958 and 1963 ERs at Laverton as a Miner.

In 1965, James (Jim) founded the Eastern Goldfields Aboriginal Advancement Council and raised money to create a meeting place in Cassidy Street, Kalgoorlie. It was one of Jim's major achievements (ref.2).

In 1971, when prospectors tried to remove some stones, which were considered sacred by the local people, they asked Jim for assistance to stop them. This would lead to the introduction of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 (op.cit.), which Ken Colbung was also strongly associated with.

On the 1968 and 1972 ERs James is joined by Myrtle at 16e Campbell Street, Kalgoorlie, with James a Miner and Myrtle doing Home Duties. Then they are joined by their son Hector James, also a Miner, on the 1977 and 1980 ERs, at the same address.

Recognition of his service to his people came in 1984 with the award of the Order of Australia (op.cit.).

James Brennan passed away on 31 December 2000 in Kalgoorlie-Boulder City, Western Australia, aged 83, and was buried in Kalgoorlie Cemetery, as had his daughter Gloria Faye Brennan been 15 years earlier. The FindAGrave record confirms his birth place as Laverton Shire, Western Australia, on 9 October 1917 (ref.4).

After he passed away, he was recognised by the naming of part of the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder as The Ninga Mia Village. Son Hector, daughter Joan and son-in-law Ian Tucker praised him for always "fighting for free rights, justice and as a force for Aboriginal people in his own right without gain for himself" (ref.2).

Sources

1. ↑ https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/tree/161410139
2. ↑ https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-17/aboriginal-stockman-turned-guerrilla-fighter/7934792
3. ↑ https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-17/newspaper-clipping-of-james-brennan/7934960
4. ↑ https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/192603467?q&versionId=210701871
5. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/198711956

• Military Service: Ancestry.com. Australia, World War II Military Service Records, 1939-1945 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016. National Archives of Australia; Canberra, Australia; Second Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1939-1947; Series: B883.
• Residence and Occupation: Ancestry.com. Australia, Electoral Rolls, 1903-1980 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. 1949,