Clement Breen was also from the West Coast of Tasmania, living and work at Zeehan when he volunteered for enlistment in March 1916. He left behind a wife and 5 children. He was allotted to the newly formed 40th Battalion and departed Tasmania with the original contingent.
Shortly after dark on the 31st January 1917, the enemy put down a heavy artillery and minenwerfer barrage on the 40th Battalion’s front and support lines in the
Lille Road locality. Among the casualties was Clement Breen who sustained a wound to his right leg. He was evacuated to England for treatment but after developing lumbago was sent home in May 1917.
Post war Clement went where he could get work while Agnes remained at Rosebery. The family later moved to Somerset and then to Launceston where Clement passed away on 22 January 1949. His son William was taken a prisoner of war whilst serving with the 2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion and later died whilst in captivity in Thailand on 28 June 1943.
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