▁later ▁Br is b ane ▁State ▁High ▁School . ▁After ▁leaving ▁school , ▁B ren nan ▁studied ▁part - time ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Queensland , ▁while ▁simultaneously ▁being ▁employed ▁as ▁a ▁law ▁cl erk ▁in ▁Br is b ane . ▁ ▁Second ▁World ▁War ▁On ▁ 8 ▁November ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁B ren nan ▁en list ed ▁in ▁the ▁Royal ▁Australian ▁Air ▁Force ▁for ▁service ▁during ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War . ▁Accept ed ▁for ▁pilot ▁training , ▁he ▁received ▁his ▁initial ▁flight ▁instruction ▁in ▁Australia . ▁He ▁later ▁emb ark ed ▁for ▁Canada , ▁where ▁he ▁completed ▁his ▁flight ▁training ▁before ▁being ▁posted ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁an ▁Oper ational ▁Training ▁Unit . ▁On ▁gradu ating ▁from ▁this ▁course , ▁he ▁was ▁all otted ▁to ▁No .   6 4 ▁Squadron ▁R AF . ▁During ▁this ▁time , ▁he ▁was ▁advanced ▁to ▁temporary ▁flight ▁ser ge ant ▁on ▁ 4 ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁prior ▁to ▁receiving ▁a ▁posting ▁to ▁the ▁Mediter rane an ▁Theatre ▁the ▁following ▁month . ▁ ▁Mal ta ▁On ▁arrival ▁in ▁the ▁Mediter rane an , ▁B ren nan ▁was ▁posted ▁to ▁No .   2 4 9 ▁Squadron ▁R AF . ▁On ▁ 7 ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁B ren nan ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁fifteen ▁pil ots ▁sent ▁to ▁the ▁island ▁of ▁Mal ta . ▁F lying ▁Super marine ▁Sp it f ires , ▁the