Virgil Brennan

Second World War Brennan enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force on 8 November 1940 for service during the Second World War. Accepted for pilot training, he received his initial flight instruction in Australia. He later embarked for Canada, where he completed his flight training. Brennan was recommended for the Distinguished Flying Medal.

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Brennan scored further aerial victories on 10 May. The following day, German Luftwaffe General Albert Kesselring ordered a contingent of 20 Stukas and 10 Junkers Ju 88s with a small escort of fighter aircraft to bomb Grand Harbour, Malta. A formation of 50 Royal Air Force aircraft—37 Spitfires and 13 Hawker Hurricanes—were dispatched to intercept the group; Brennan was piloting one of the Spitfires. Attacking one of the Stukas, Brennan later recorded that the aircraft "disintegrated, with huge chunks flying off in every direction". In an engagement the next day, Brennan was wounded in his left arm. He was commissioned as a pilot officer later that month. For his efforts in the destruction of Axis aircraft during this period, Brennan was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. The notification of the decoration was published in a supplement to the London Gazette on 6 October 1942.

Later war service and death Embarking from Malta during July 1942, Brennan returned to the United Kingdom and was posted to No. 52 Operational Training Unit as an instructor with the rank of acting flight lieutenant. During this period, Brennan and fellow No. 249 Squadron pilot, Pilot Officer Raymond Hesselyn, collaborated with journalist Henry Bateson on writing Spitfires over Malta, a novel relating the experiences of Brennan and Hesselyn during their time on Malta. On 17 April 1943, Brennan was repatriated from the United Kingdom and returned to Australia. An advance party of the squadron was moved up to Goodenough Island that month, while the pilots followed during June. Described as one with "an easy-going nature, an engaging sense of humour and ... loyal to his friends",