Wyndham History

Edward Barrett (1887-1949)

Item

Placeholder image - Veteran.png

Dublin Core

Type

Title

Edward Barrett (1887-1949)

Contributor

Date

1917

Publisher

Wyndham City Libraries

Format

text

Language

eng

World War One Veterans Item Type Metadata

Name

Edward Barrett

Birth Date

Birthplace

Service Number

5029 and 3774

Enlistment Date

Next of Kin

Mr Alfred Barrett
Father

Address at time of Enlistment

Werribee PO,
Werribee, Victoria

Occupation

Marital Status

Single

Death Date

Place of Burial

Brighton General Cemetery

Biographical Text

No. 5029  Private Edward Barrett
Edward Barrett was born in Pyalong in 1887 to Alfred James Barrett and Annie (Marie) Maher. He had five brothers:
and two sisters:
  • Ellen Bridget
  • Ivy (Tolson) 
War Service
Edward enlisted into the Army at Melbourne, Victoria on 8 March 1917.  He was aged 29 years and 6 months, and he was 5 feet and 10 inches tall.  Edward weighed 155 pounds and had a chest measurement of 33-36 1/2 inches.  His complexion was listed as medium, with brown eyes and brown hair.  All of this was recorded at the time of his enlistment.

Edward originally joined the Army under service No 5029 and was discharged on 1 June 1916.  He re-enlisted into the AIF a second time at Broadmeadows on 3 October 1917 under service number 3774.   According to his records, a warrant was issued on 25 October 1917, however there appears to be no information and the warrant was withdrawn around 30 October 1917.  He was in Broadmeadows from 31 October 1917 to 28 February 1918.  He then travelled from Melbourne on 6 March 1918 and arrived in Southampton on 15 May 1918.

He was found guilty of going AWL from 19 June 1918 until 4 July 1918 when he was apprehended.  For this he forfeited 16 days pay.  A document on his statement says Edward had embarked in Melbourne with a pay book that had a debit of 15 pounds, as he did not know what this was for, he was compelled to borrow money from his mates.  When he went on disembarkation leave, he went to (place not clear on the war records) made a statement but was told it would take six months to clear the matter up.  So he stayed absent as he was ashamed to come back without the means to pay his mates.

He proceeded overseas to France, Folkestone on 29 August 1918 and served in France until 20 September 1918, where he was admitted sick.  He appears to have had detention for 90 days, according to a document dated 2 January 1919.  He then returned to Australia on 3 February 1919. 

Post War
Edward married Elizabeth Martha Woolcock in Victoria in 1920. They had 2 daughters Jean Isabella (died 1 years of age) and Valerie and one son Edward Vernon Barrett [who also served in the AIF in World War 2].

Edward and Elizabeth were together in Werribee from 1920 to 1921, Brighton from 1922 to 1924 and then Brunswick East from 1924 to 1934.  All of this is in Electoral rolls.  In 1934, he is listed as an inspector for the MMBW.

Edward passed away on 28 September 1949 (according to a letter dated 20 July 1967) from his son to the War Medals Section, Department of Defence.  His son was living at 46 McCubbin Street, Burwood at that time.

Edward was buried at Brighton General Cemetery ancestry.com

Medals & Entitlements:
  • 1914-1915 Star - 16 June 1920 
  • Victory Medal - 29 April 1922 
  • British War Medal - 25 June 1921

Bibliography

AIF project
http://www.aif.adfa.edu.au:8080/index.html

Ancestry
http://search.ancestry.com.au

National Archives of Australia
http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/

Medals and Entitlements

1914-15 Star
British War Medal
Victory Medal

Citation

“Edward Barrett (1887-1949),” Wyndham History, accessed June 9, 2023, http://www.wyndhamhistory.net.au/items/show/2150.

Comments

Social Bookmarking