William Brandt

Alias Served as Brant
Born 3.10.1894
Place Arensburg (Kuressaare), Oesel (Saaremaa), Estonia
Ethnic origin Estonian
Religion Lutheran
Father Michal Brandt
Mother Mary Brandt
Residence before arrival at Australia After leaving Estonia lived in England, 1910-1912
Arrived at Australia from Hull, England
on 11.12.1912
per Habring
disembarked at Melbourne
Residence before enlistment Richmond, Victoria
Occupation 1916 sailor, 1938 AB seaman
Naturalisation 1940
Residence after the war Richmond, Victoria
Died 1953 (?), Heidelberg, Victoria

Service #1

Service number 6216
Enlisted 27.04.1916
Place of enlistment Warragul, Vic
Unit 5th Battalion
Rank Private
Place Western Front, 1916-1918
Casualties WIA 1917 (twice)
Final fate RTA 10.07.1919
Discharged 20.10.1919

Materials

Naturalisation (NAA) (Brant W.)

Digitised service records (NAA) (Brant)

Digitised Embarkation roll entry (AWM) (Brant)

Court martial records (NAA) (Brandt)

Personal case file (NAA) (Brant)

Blog article

Russian

English

From Russian Anzacs in Australian History:

[...] the Estonian William Brant (Brandt), from the 5th Battalion, was sentenced to five years' penal servitude for desertion in the field. A former sailor, Brant had been twice wounded, and at his trial he [...] stated that the Russian consul had pressured him to join the army, and 'now that Russia has signed peace I want my discharge'. His plea was unsympathetically received and his battalion commander, in comments attached to the court materials sent to headquarters for confirmation, said: 'In case of Brandt ... I beg to recommend that the sentence of 5 years P.S. be put into execution. This man made application some time ago for his discharge from the Army on the grounds that he was not a naturalised British subject, but a Russian, and as his home is now under German control he wished to do what he could to get in touch with his people.'

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