Ian Eric Brennan was born May 17, 1918 the son of Alfred Eric and Jean Brennan, Farnborough, Kent. He was the younger of twin brothers at Dulwich College. He was in the Third XI and a prefect and having secured a Cutlers' Exhibition went abroad for a year. He studied German at Schwerin in Macklenburg with Herr Stroemer, with whom Mr. Macpherson had collaborated in certain school books. Returning from Germany in October 1936, he joined Messrs. Gellatly Hankey & Co., Ltd., Billiter Street, and after a year proceeded to their office in Hamburg, and later to Antwerp. On outbreak of war he returned to England at once and joined the R.A.F.V.R. He was awarded his wings in due course and commissioned on November 5, 1940. After further training he was posted to a Hurricane squadron in the Fighter Command, and met his death over the North Sea, eight miles east of the Shetlands, whilst on patrol, on March 1, 1941.
Research and picture contributed by Bob Cumberbatch, Guild of One Name Studies, UK
Sources
Pilot Officer Ian Eric (“Doggie”[1]) BrennanPilot Officer Ian Eric Brennan of 3 Squadron RAF Volunteer Reserve was tragically killed whilst conducting dog fight training in his Hawker Hurricane on 1st March 1941. He was aged 22 years and 9 months when he was in collision with the Hurricane of Sgt Joyce.
P/O Ian Eric Brennan flying Hurricane V7069 was the senior pilot that day, and Sgt Joyce in P3255 was the pupil hoping to gain some fighter tactic experience. Out off the Sumburgh Head a number of maneuvers had been carried out and all seem to go OK when suddenly the two aircraft collided and unable to recover P/O Brennan’s Hurricane plunged into the sea. The other Hurricane, severely damaged and with its pilot Sgt Joyce badly shaken up managed to limp back to Sumburgh where he got down safely, alas his instructor P/O Brennan, aged 22 from Farnborough, Kent, was killed and his body never recovered[2].
His plane was recorded as crashing here: 59.916739, -1.166665[3]
[2] http://www.crashsiteorkney.com/shetland-underwater-sites
[3] https://canmore.org.uk/site/289470/hawker-hurricane-i-sumburgh
[4] London Gazette: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/35019/page/7128/data.pdf Issue 35019 Page 7128 20 December 1940: “16th Nov. 1940. (Seniority 5th Nov. 1940) 901413 Ian Eric Brennan (88229)
[5] BRENNAN Ian Eric of Mount Bank Farnborough Kent died on or since 1 March 1941 on war service Administration Llandudno 18 October [1941] to Alfred Eric Brennan works manager. Effects £447 18s 2d. http://interactive.ancestry.com/1904/31874_222436-00584?pid=2281234&backurl=http://search.ancestry.com//cgi-bin/sse.dll?_phsrc%3DGmI26%26_phstart%3DsuccessSource%26usePUBJs%3Dtrue%26gss%3Dangs-g%26new%3D1%26rank%3D1%26msT%3D1%26gsfn%3Dian%2520eric%26gsfn_x%3D0%26gsln%3Dbrennan%26gsln_x%3D0%26MSAV%3D1%26cpxt%3D1%26cp%3D11%26catbucket%3Dr%26uidh%3D5h3%26pcat%3DROOT_CATEGORY%26h%3D2281234%26db%3DUKProbateCal%26indiv%3D1%26ml_rpos%3D2&treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=GmI26&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true
[6] Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1530381/BRENNAN,%20IAN%20ERIC#carousel2 BRENNAN, Pilot Offr. IAN ERIC, 88229, RAF (VR) 3 Sqdn. 1st March, 1941, Age 22. Son of Alfred Eric and Jean Brennan, of Farnborough, Kent. Panel 31
Pilot Officer Ian Eric (“Doggie”[1]) BrennanPilot Officer Ian Eric Brennan of 3 Squadron RAF Volunteer Reserve was tragically killed whilst conducting dog fight training in his Hawker Hurricane on 1st March 1941. He was aged 22 years and 9 months when he was in collision with the Hurricane of Sgt Joyce.
P/O Ian Eric Brennan flying Hurricane V7069 was the senior pilot that day, and Sgt Joyce in P3255 was the pupil hoping to gain some fighter tactic experience. Out off the Sumburgh Head a number of maneuvers had been carried out and all seem to go OK when suddenly the two aircraft collided and unable to recover P/O Brennan’s Hurricane plunged into the sea. The other Hurricane, severely damaged and with its pilot Sgt Joyce badly shaken up managed to limp back to Sumburgh where he got down safely, alas his instructor P/O Brennan, aged 22 from Farnborough, Kent, was killed and his body never recovered[2].
His plane was recorded as crashing here: 59.916739, -1.166665[3]
[2] http://www.crashsiteorkney.com/shetland-underwater-sites
[3] https://canmore.org.uk/site/289470/hawker-hurricane-i-sumburgh
[4] London Gazette: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/35019/page/7128/data.pdf Issue 35019 Page 7128 20 December 1940: “16th Nov. 1940. (Seniority 5th Nov. 1940) 901413 Ian Eric Brennan (88229)
[5] BRENNAN Ian Eric of Mount Bank Farnborough Kent died on or since 1 March 1941 on war service Administration Llandudno 18 October [1941] to Alfred Eric Brennan works manager. Effects £447 18s 2d. http://interactive.ancestry.com/1904/31874_222436-00584?pid=2281234&backurl=http://search.ancestry.com//cgi-bin/sse.dll?_phsrc%3DGmI26%26_phstart%3DsuccessSource%26usePUBJs%3Dtrue%26gss%3Dangs-g%26new%3D1%26rank%3D1%26msT%3D1%26gsfn%3Dian%2520eric%26gsfn_x%3D0%26gsln%3Dbrennan%26gsln_x%3D0%26MSAV%3D1%26cpxt%3D1%26cp%3D11%26catbucket%3Dr%26uidh%3D5h3%26pcat%3DROOT_CATEGORY%26h%3D2281234%26db%3DUKProbateCal%26indiv%3D1%26ml_rpos%3D2&treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=GmI26&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true
[6] Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1530381/BRENNAN,%20IAN%20ERIC#carousel2 BRENNAN, Pilot Offr. IAN ERIC, 88229, RAF (VR) 3 Sqdn. 1st March, 1941, Age 22. Son of Alfred Eric and Jean Brennan, of Farnborough, Kent. Panel 31
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