Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

Roland Scott Bremner was born on 12 February 1890 at Waihemo, Otago, the second son of Philip and Isabella Scott (Bella, née Scott) Bremner. He was educated at Goodwood and Hyde schools, leaving the latter in 1905 for Timaru Boys’ High School. In December 1906, R. S. Bremner (Timaru B.H.S.) passed the Junior Civil Service examination. When he enlisted on 11 December 1915, he was a clerk for Henry Scott at Merton, Otago, Henry being his grandfather, and gave his address as Flag Swamp. Single and Presbyterian, he named his father as next-of-kin – Philip Bremner, Goodwood, Otago. He had served in the Timaru High School Cadets. Sergeant R. S. Bremner embarked with the Otago Infantry Battalion of the 13th Reinforcements, leaving Wellington on 27 May 1916 per the “Tofua”. Bremner was very severely wounded in October 1916 at the Somme. He had his left arm and a toe amputated and he also suffered gushot wounds to the penis and scrotum. He arrived back in New Zealand in December 1917. He studied law at the university and became a barrister and solicitor at the Supreme Court. He was, however, plagued by ill health resulting from his injuries. Roland Scott Bremner died on 9 November 1931 at Dunedin, aged 41 years and was buried at Andersons Bay Cemetery where a services stone marks his grave in the family plot. R. S. Bremner is honoured on the Waikouaiti War Memorial and the Flag Swamp Church Roll of Honour. His older brother, Andew Henry Bremner, was called up in September 1917. Another brother, Graham Dewar Bremner, was a steward on a hospital ship when his appeal was dismissed by the Military Service Board sitting at Dunedin in September 1917. He was granted a conditional exemption in August 1918 when he was still on maritime duties. Two cousins – Alistair Henry Scott and John Harold Scott – were both killed in action in World Warr Two.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [19 December 2021]; NZ BDM Indexes (Departmnt of Internal Affairs) [19 December 2021]; School Admission record (Alexandra Branch NZSG) [19 December 2021]; Temuka Leader, 31 January 1907, Otago Daily Times, 10 November 1931 [x 2] (Papers Past) [14 & 19 Decembed 2021]; Andersons Bay Cemetery burial record & headstone image (Dunedin City Council) [19 December 2021]; Known family history (T. Scott)

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file

Related Documents

• BREMNER Roland Scott - newspaper clippings (pdf, 98.1 KB updated 12-Jan-2022)

Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, SC branch NZSG

Currently Assigned to

Not assigned.