Thomas Brew (SN 714), born in England, was a 21-year-old, unmarried wool sorter at Ballarat’s Sunnyside Mill when he enlisted on September 8th 1914. He was posted to the 2nd Infantry Battalion and embarked aboard the Suffolk on October 18th 1914. He was wounded at Gallipoli in May 1915 suffering a gunshot wound to his foot, then in France he suffered a gunshot wound to his arm in July 1916. He rejoined his unit in the field in February 1917 and in April earned a Distinguished Conduct Medal for ‘conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty ….. in the face of heavy fire’ at Hermies, France. In September 1917 he was commissioned to the rank of Second Lieutenant, but he was killed in action at Broodseinde, Belgium on October 4th 1917. He is buried in the Oxford Road Cemetery, Ypres, Belgium.

His cousins John and Samuel were also killed in action and are both honoured with trees in the Avenue.