8th Infantry Battalion
Do you know more? You can share your personal stories and photos on the ANZAC Centenary website.
Thomas William Brain (SN 6471) born in Ballarat, was a married 35 year old horse trainer when he enlisted in Melbourne on June 20th 1916. He embarked aboard the Nestor on October 2nd but his voyage was not without incident as, while at sea, he was charged with using obscene language to an officer. He reached France in February 1917 to serve with the 8th Infantry Battalion. He returned to Australia aboard the Pakeha, disembarked at Melbourne on October 22nd 1917 and was discharged on December 10th ‘medically unfit, defective vision’.
His brother Matthew also served in the AIF and is honoured with a tree in the Avenue.
