John Brewster was born in St Martins, Perthshire, in 1898. In 1901 he was living at Tarrylaw Farm, Balbeggie, with his uncle James Bruce (Farmer), b. c1850, Collace, Perthshire. Also living with James Bruce were his wife, Elizabeth Bruce b. c1850, Collace; his daughter, Mary Bruce, b. c1873, Collace; his daughter, Elizabeth Bruce, b. c1883, Collace; and his son John Bruce, b. c1891, Collace. John’s older brother James, b. c1894, St Martins was also living at the same address. Also registered at this address were James Bruce’s father William Imrie, b. c1835, St Martins; his mother, Catherine Imrie, b. c1839, Caputh; and his sister, Grace Imrie, b. c1882, Caputh. There were also ten other farm employees and visitors registered on the census.

John Brewster was educated at Perth Academy and after leaving school he farmed at Tarrylaw Farm, Balbeggie with his brother James. Tarrylaw was part of the Culfargie Estate, owned by the Moncrieff family.

Both brothers enlisted for war service and after being wounded at Gallipoli James returned to the farm.

John enlisted in March 1916 and as a driver he would have been attached to a number of battalions. 

Between 9th and 29th April 1918, operation Georgette took place.

This was a German action planned to strike through Flanders towards the Channel ports and force the British out of the war. A massive Gas attack by the Germans took place on 25th April at 03.30 which caused the British to fall back to Dickenbusch Lake, north of the French army.

There were 76,300 British casualties (35,000 killed) during this action, however, it was clear that operation Georgette could not achieve it’s objectives. On 29th April the offensive was called off by the German high command. 

This was one of the Germans worst failures of the war with over 250,00 killed.

Perthshire Advertiser, 11th May 1918 “OUR OWN MEN - PERTH CITY “Official news has been received by his brother that Driver John Brewster, R.E., aged 22, younger son of the late Mr James Brewster, Tarrylaw Farm, Scone, was killed in action in France on 25th April. He enlisted in March 1916, as a driver in the Royal Engineers, when his brother, Sergeant James Brewster, with whom he had jointly farmed Tarrylaw, was discharged wounded. Sergeant James Brewster was mobilised in August 1914, and was wounded in Gallipoli while serving with his regiment, the 1st Scottish Horse. The father and grand-father of the soldiers named both held leases of Tarrylaw, the present being the fifth nineteen years’ lease.”

John Brewster is also commemorated on the St. Martins Parish War Memorial.