Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

Barry Bernard Brosnahan was born (Barry Joseph) at Kerrytown, South Canterbury on 13 April 1890, the third son of David and Mary (née Scollard) Brosnahan, and baptised Roman Catholic at Temuka a week later (Barry Joseph). David and Mary who had married in January1872 at Castleisland, County Kerry, Ireland, landed in Timaru, New Zealand in 1875 with their first-born (David Joseph). They went straight to Kerrytown where they took up a holding of 40 acres and remained for the rest of their lives. There four daughters were born followed by four sons. Mrs Brosnahan played a prominent part in the establishment of the Kerrytown School and one of her sons (David) was the first pupil. So, Barry and his siblings were educated at the Kerrytown Convent School. His younger brother Maurice spent 18 months in 1904-1905 at Waihao Native School, probably in the custody of his eldest brother David; he had come from Kerrytown School and returned there. Barry Joseph Brosnahan is the name at birth, baptism, marriage, death and burial, yet he enlisted and served as Barry Bernard Brosnahan. He was also recorded on electoral rolls as Barry Bernard until the 1960s. This family sometimes used the Brosnan spelling. From his youth, Barry was a farm labourer for his father at Kerrytown. Barry Bernard Brosnahan, labourer, Kerrytown was listed on the 1916 Reserve Rolls.

A well-built, healthy man, farming at Kerrytown, Barry Bernard Brosnahan enlisted on 12 December 1916. Single and Roman Catholic, he named his mother as next-of-kin – Mrs D. Brosnahan, Kerrytown, South Canterbury. Two people were absolutely dependant on him. He was medically examined at Timaru on 16 December 1916. He stood at 5 feet 11 inches, weighed 10 stone, and had a chest measurement of 33-35 inches, with a dark complexion, blue eyes and dark hair. His sight, hearing, colour vision, heart and lungs were all normal, his limbs and chest well formed. Free from illnesses, diseases and fits, and in good bodily and mental health, though not vaccinated, he was passed fit, Class A. Barry was one of four Brosnahan brothers who appealed their call-up at the Canterbury Military Service Appeal Board sitting at Timaru on 6 February 1917, the others being Michael Joseph, Maurice Joseph and Robert Michael. Two of the brothers had been passed as fit, one as unfit, the fourth had not yet been examined. Mrs Brosnahan said that she must have some of the boys at home. The appeals were dismissed. Along with his brothers Michael and Robert, he was to leave for Trentham by the second express on 20 February 1917. He was posted to C Company, 27th Reinforcements.

A farewell social and presentation were to be given to Privates R. Brosnahan, B. Brosnahan and J. Rowe in the Oddfellows’ Hall, Pleasant Point, on Friday, 25 May 1917 at 8pm. Having completed their New Zealand Service, both Private B. B. Brosnahan and Private R. M. Brosnahan embarked with the Canterbury Infantry Regiment of the 27th Reinforcements, departing from Wellington on 12 June 1917 per the “Tahiti” (Transport No. 87). Disembarking at Devonport, England on 16 August 1917, Barry (and Robert) marched into the 1st Canterbury Infantry Regiment at Sling that day. On 29 October 1917, however, he was classified unfit and placed on the New Zealand Roll. Still at Sling on 28 November, he was transferred to A Company, 4th Reserve Battalion. Five days later he marched out to the Discharge Depot at Torquay.

Both Private Barry B. Brosnahan, 51098, of Kerrytown, and Private Louis Brosnahan, 38932, of Addington, returned to New Zealand per the “Willochra” (Draft 147), embarking at Liverpool on 1 February 1918 and arriving back on 19 March 1918. The South Canterbury men came from Lyttelton by special train expected mid-afternoon on the 19 March. A large crowd was expected at Temuka to meet them, and the Temuka Band would be in attendance. Despite the very wet weather, a large crowd did assemble at the Temuka railway station. The train was late and the band played some selections to pass the time. The mayor said that “Temuka was proud to welcome the men back, and best thanks were due to the soldiers for what they had done for us. He trusted that they would be soon restored to health and strength.” Barry was discharged on 9 May 1918, being no longer physically fit for War Service on account of flat feet – a condition which existed prior to enlistment and was not the result of war service. Nor had it been contracted by the soldier’s own actions. A Medical Board which had been assembled at Sea on 3 March 1918, provided these findings. He was awarded the British War Medal.

Not fit for Active Service or Territorial Service, but fit for Civil Employment, Barry resumed farm labouring at Kerrytown. Barry Joseph Brosnahan married Mary Josephine Foley in 1920, probably at Kerrytown. They had a family of three daughters and two sons. Thirty-two applications were received for the position of water-race ranger, and at the Levels County Council meeting on 7 December 1927 it was notified that Mr B. Brosnahan, of Temuka, had been appointed. The salary was £223 per annum, the ranger finding his own means of locomotion. Applications had been received from various parts of South Canterbury, and one came from Wanganui. Barry was the water race ranger in the district throughout the 1930s and 1940s. Mr B. Brosnahan was one who donated to the Cancer Campaign in November 1930. In the mid-1960s, Barry and Mary retired to Temuka.

Barry Joseph Brosnahan died at Timaru on 19 October 1968, aged 78 years, and was buried in the Temuka Cemetery following a Requiem Mass at St Joseph’s Church, Temuka. His next of kin at death was Mrs M. J. Brosnahan, 41 Wilkin Street, Temuka. Barry was survived by his wife, Mary, three daughters (Mary, Margaret, Betty) and two sons (Bernard, Leo), and 14 grandchildren. Mary Josephine died on 16 December 1977 and was buried with Barry. His brother Robert Joseph Brosnahan also served in World War One; another brother Michael Joseph Brosnahan enlisted; his oldest brother David Joseph Brosnahan, a farmer and married with a family, was listed on the Reserve Rolls, as was his brother Maurice, a farm labourer. Henry Francis Brosnan, son of David Joseph, served in World War Two. This family also used the two surname spellings – Brosnahan and Brosnan. David Brosnahan (senior) died on 10 October 1924 at his Kerrytown residence and Mary on 14 November 1937 at Kerrytown where she had lived continuously on the holding which they had taken up on their arrival in 1875.

Pte. B. Brosnahan and Pte. R. Brosnahan are two of the Returned Soldiers whose names are inscribed on an oaken honours board, which was unveiled in a ceremony at the Seadown School in August 1920. A large gathering of Seadown residents and visitors from neighbouring districts took part in the unveiling and the accompanying musical service, which concluded with the sounding of the “Last Post”. Below the names is the inscription: “Their names shall remain for ever, and their glory shall not be blotted out.”

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [29 July 2013]; NZ Defence Force Personnel Records (Archives NZ Ref. AABK 18805 W5530 0018530) [27 August 2013]; Temuka Cemetery headstone image & burial record (Timaru District Council) [28 August 2013]; NZ BDM Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [16 April 2014]; Timaru Herald, 7 & 20 February 1917, 23 May 1917, 11 August 1917, 18 & 20 March 1918, 21 August 1920, 11 October 1924, 8 December 1927, 22 November 1930, 15, 16 & 17 November 1937, Evening Post, 13 March 1918, Sun, 13 March 1918, Press, 14 March 1918, Lyttelton Times, 14 March 1918, Dominion, 14 March 1918, Temuka Leader, 19 & 21 March 1918, 24 August 1920 (Papers Past) [17 September 2013; 28 February 2014; 07 & 09 April 2015; 18 July 2015; 17 October 2015; 13 February 2016; 09 February 2018; 31 March 2018; 16 December 2020; 16 January 2021; 20 June 2023; 07 & 26 February 2026]; Timaru Herald, 21 October 1968 (Timaru District Library) [11 April 2014]; NZ Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com.au) [16 April 2014; 09 February 2026]; Baptism record (Christchurch Catholic Diocese Baptisms Index CD - held by South Canterbury Branch NZSG) [19 July 2015]

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file

Related Documents

• BROSNAHAN Barry Bernard - newspaper clippings (pdf, 130.5 KB updated 06-Apr-2026)

Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, SC Genealogy Society

Currently Assigned to

TS