Julian Cornelius Brook
Born 9 Jul 1890 - Died 2 Sept 1918
- Service number
- WWI 12/600 AWMM
- Also known as
- —
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Last rank
- WW1 Lieutenant/Military AWMM New Zealand Rifle Brigade, 1st Battalion AWMM
- War
- World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
About
- Title
- —
- Forenames
- Julian Cornelius AWMM
- Surname
- Brook AWMM
- Ingoa
- —
- Also known as
- —
- Service number
- WWI 12/600 AWMM
- Gender
- Male AWMM
- Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
- —
- Religion
- —
Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- 9 Jul 1890 AWMM
- Date of birth
- —
- Place of birth
- —
- Birth notes
- —
- Address before enlistment
- Pre 15 Aug 1914 AWMM Kohukohu, New Zealand AWMM
- Unknown AWMM Unknown address AWMM
- Post war occupation
- —
- Next of kin
- Julian Brook, Birkenhead, Auckland, New Zealand AWMM
- Julian Brook (father), Birkenhead, Auckland, New Zealand AWMM
- Relationship status
- Pre 16 Oct 1914 AWMM Single AWMM
- Pre 09 Jun 1917 AWMM Unknown Marital Status AWMM
Wars and conflicts
- War
- World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
- Campaign
- 1915-1916 AWMM Gallipoli AWMM
- 1914-1919 AWMM Western Front AWMM
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Service number
- WWI 12/600 AWMM
- Military service
- —
- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
- —
Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
- 1914-1915 Star AWMM
- British War Medal (1914-1920) AWMM
- Victory Medal AWMM
Training and Enlistment
- Military training
- —
- Branch Trade Proficiency
- —
- Enlistment
- WW1 15 Aug 1914 AWMM
Age 24 AWMM
Lawyer/Civilian AWMM - WW1 Solicitor/Civilian AWMM
- WW1 15 Aug 1914 AWMM
- Age on enlistment
- —
- Occupation before enlistment
- —
Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- WW1 16 Oct 1914-03 Dec 1914 AWMM
HMNZT 8 or HMNZT 12 AWMM Vessel was Star of India or Waimana AWMM Corporal/Military AWMM Auckland Infantry Battalion AWMM Main Body AWMM - WW1 09 Jun 1917-16 Aug 1917 AWMM
HMNZT 85 AWMM Vessel was Willochra AWMM Second Lieutenant AWMM 26th Reinforcements, G Company (part) AWMM New Zealand Expeditionary Force AWMM
2nd Embarkation AWMM
- WW1 16 Oct 1914-03 Dec 1914 AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
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- Days interned
- —
- Liberation date
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- POW liberation details
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- Liberation Repatriation
- —
- POW serial number
- —
Medical history
- Medical notes
- Died of wounds, Cause of Death AWMM
Last known rank
- Last rank
- WW1 Lieutenant/Military AWMM
New Zealand Rifle Brigade, 1st Battalion AWMM - Last rank
- —
Biographical information
- Lieutenant Julian Cornelius Brook
Born on 9 July 1890 at Waipu, Northland, New Zealand Julian Cornelius Brook was the first son of the local school headmaster. Following a family tradition of some four hundred years he received his father’s name, thereby becoming Julian Brook XVII. JC Brook was educated at Auckland Grammar School whereupon, as the winner of the MacAndrew Scholarship, he attended the University of Auckland ultimately gaining an LLB.
Qualifications in hand, JC Brook pursued a career as a solicitor practising on his own account at Kohukohu on the Hokianga Harbour. Whilst in this capacity, he enlisted in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force on 15 August 1914 having previously served two years in the Territorial Force.
As a single man aged twenty-four Private JC Brook, serial no. 12/600, embarked with the Auckland Infantry Battalion for the Dardanelles on 16 October 1914. Along with so many colleagues he was wounded in action at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915. After being hospitalised at Alexandria, Egypt he returned to active duty on the peninsula, subsequently being wounded for a second time on 8 August 1915. Having spent another period in hospital JC Brook served out the remainder of the Dardanelles campaign. Having been promoted through the ranks during that time he eventually attained the rank of Warrant Officer Second Class.
At the conclusion of that campaign JC Brook was posted to the New Zealand Rifle Brigade, landed in France and was promoted to Second Lieutenant on 19 December 1916.
After a spell at home in New Zealand, Brook embarked for England mid 1917 being appointed to the position of Assistant Adjutant of the 5th Battalion, NZRB on 15 February 1918 stationed at Brocton.
Relinquishing that posting on 31 May 1918 he was promoted to Lieutenant on 19 June and returned to France, rejoining the battalion at the front. Sadly, as one of 18,166 New Zealanders during World War I, JC Brook was killed in action on 2 September 1918 during the final episodes of the Battle for the Somme.
During his time at war, JC Brook captured photographic images on a personal Kodak ‘Box Brownie’ that visually describe life in the field for New Zealand troops.
Lieutenant Julian Cornelius Brook is buried at Adanac Military Cemetery, Miraumont, Somme, France. May he rest in peace.
Julian Brook XIX
© JD BROOK 2005
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Julian Brook was the son of Julian and Mary Brook, of Birkdale, Birkenhead, Auckland, New Zealand. Native of Remuera, Auckland. Also served at Gallipoli.
Julian Cornelius Brook was the 17th man as an eldest son to bear the name Julian Brook. The information supplier is Julian Brook the 19th - this naming lineage is continuous for 400+ years.
Attended Auckland Grammar School.
Attended Auckland University College (now the University of Auckland).
Next of Kin: Mr j. Brook, Birkdale, Auckland (Roll of Honour, Auckland Province 1914-1918 (Volume 1)) AWMM - Julian Snr became the first principal of Birkdale Primary (opened 1894) in 1897. Young Julian attended the school.Public - Matt - Researcher - 2 June 2025 - Birkdale Primary School centennial history
- Lieutenant Julian Cornelius Brook
About death
- Death
- 2 Sept 1918 AWMM
Age 28 AWMM - Date of death
- —
- Age at death
- —
- Place of death
- —
- Cause of death
- Died of wounds AWMM
- Death notes
- —
- Cemetery
- Adanac Military Cemetery, Miraumont, Somme, France AWMM IV.C.16 AWMM
- Cemetery name
- —
- Grave reference
- —
- Obituary
- Obituary: Auckland Grammar School Chronicle. Third Term, 1918. AWMM
- Memorial name
- —
- Memorial reference
- —
Memorial
- Memorial name
- Hokianga Arch of Remembrance, Kohukohu, Hokianga, New Zealand AWMM
- Birkenhead Roll of Honour, Birkenhead War Memorial Park AWMM
- Kohukohu Town Hall, 25 Beach Road, Kohukohu, New Zealand AWMM
- Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 1 Hall of Memories AWMM
- Birkdale Primary School WWI memorial, cnr. Salisbury and BIrkdale RdsPublic - Matt - Researcher - 8 June 2025 - Local history
Related objects
Sources
- External links
- Military personnel file
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R22280359
Further Reference - Ministry for Culture and Heritage, New Zealand History online. Kohukohu First World War Memorial.
https://nzhistory.govt.nz/memorial/kohukohu-first-world-war-memorial
Further Reference - Auckland University College Roll of Honour.
http://www.specialcollections.auckland.ac.nz/ww1-centenary/roll-of-honour/search?page=185
Further Reference - New Zealand Lawyers Roll of Honour, New Zealand Law Society website
http://www.lawsociety.org.nz/news-and-communications/people-in-the-law/obituaries/obituaries-list/julian-cornelius-brook,-1890-1918
Further Reference - Birkenhead Roll of Honour Index, Auckland Council Archives
http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/dbtw-wpd/CityArchives/FamilyHistory/AUC233/searchbirkenhead.htm
Further Reference - A Street Near You record
https://astreetnearyou.org/person/182939/-
Further Reference - Commonwealth War Graves Commission Casualty record
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/182939
Further Reference - New Zealand War Graves Trust
https://www.nzwargraves.org.nz/
Further Reference
- Military personnel file
- References
- New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1914-1919). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Volume I. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
Vol1: 80 - New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1918). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force Volume III. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
66: 21 - Auckland Grammar School Chronicle. Auckland, N.Z.: Auckland Grammar School.
Auckland Grammar School chronicle. 1918, Third term. p.14. - A.U.C. roll of honour, 1914 - 1920. MSS & Archives E-2, Special Collections, University of Auckland Libraries and Learning Services.
- Beattie, P.J. & Pomeroy, M. (2013-2020). Onward : portraits of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (vols 1-5). Auckland, New Zealand: Fair Dinkum Publications
Vol. 2: Includes portrait - Connolly, A., & Stanes, P. Rememberance: Auckland Grammar School Great War Roll of Honour. Vols 1 & 2. Auckland: Petand Prodctions.
- Information kindly provided by family
- Roll of Honour, Auckland Province (digital copy), 1914 - 1919. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS-2016-2.
- Waite, F. (1919). The New Zealanders at Gallipoli. Auckland, N.Z.: Printed and published under Authority of the New Zealand Government by Whitcombe & Tombs.
- Austin, W. (1924). The official history of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade (The Earl of Liverpool's Own). Wellington, N.Z.: L T Watkins.
- HMNZT 85. The straggler's echo : an unreliable record of the 26th Reinforcements on board H.M. Troopship. [1917]. Capetown: Cape Times Printers.
- New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1914-1919). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Volume I. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
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