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Citation
“William Mathew Barrett (1886-1955),” Wyndham History, accessed October 26, 2020, http://www.wyndhamhistory.net.au/items/show/2537.
View Record Detail
Title
William Mathew Barrett (1886-1955)
SubjectBarrett, William Mathew
PublisherWyndham City Libraries
Date1915
ContributorAndrea Cooper
Formattext
Languageeng
TypeText
Biographical Text
William enlisted in the Army at Melbourne, Victoria on 19 July 1915. He was aged 29 years and 6 months and he was 5 feet and 6 three quarter inches tall. William weighed 10 stone, six pounds and had a chest measurement of 33 and half to 36 inches. His complexion was listed as ruddy, with light blue eyes and light brown hair.
All of this was recorded at the time of his enlistment.
He embarked from Australia on 26 October 1915 and arrived in Marseilles on 25 June 1916, after being in Tel-al-Kebir. He was with the 6th/13th Lighthorse Regiment. During 1916 to 1917 he was in France.
7 July 1916 - transferred fo 1st Australian Army Corp Lighthorse Brigade from 5th Australian Division Cavalry.
1 April 1917 - transferred to 1st Anzac C. School.
5 December 1917 - joined the 1st Anzac Light Horse Regiment. Whilst on leave from France, he was admitted to hospital in England with Neuralgia.
26 October 1918 - returned to England.
22 December 1918 - returned to Australia per Bakara.
William was discharged from the Army on 31 March 1919.
Post War
There is a letter in his war records dated 29 March 1954, where he writes of a letter his parents received in 1919 signed by King George V. The letter was addressed to him and enclosed a medal. This medal would have been the Victory Medal as noted in the reply to his letter. Williams' address at the time was Springbank, Repatriation Military Hospital, Adelaide.
William died on 17 July 1955 and is buried in the West Terrace Cemetery.
Medals and Entitlments:
No.1151 Private William Mathew Barrett
William Mathew Barrett was born in Lancefield in 1886 to Alfred James Barrett and Annie (Marie) Maher. He had five brothers:
- James Nicholas
- Joseph Leo
- Edward - AIF No.5029,
- Charles Augustus - AIF No.6573
- Alfred James - AIF No.2124
- Ellen Bridget
- Ivy (Tolson)
William enlisted in the Army at Melbourne, Victoria on 19 July 1915. He was aged 29 years and 6 months and he was 5 feet and 6 three quarter inches tall. William weighed 10 stone, six pounds and had a chest measurement of 33 and half to 36 inches. His complexion was listed as ruddy, with light blue eyes and light brown hair.
All of this was recorded at the time of his enlistment.
He embarked from Australia on 26 October 1915 and arrived in Marseilles on 25 June 1916, after being in Tel-al-Kebir. He was with the 6th/13th Lighthorse Regiment. During 1916 to 1917 he was in France.
7 July 1916 - transferred fo 1st Australian Army Corp Lighthorse Brigade from 5th Australian Division Cavalry.
1 April 1917 - transferred to 1st Anzac C. School.
5 December 1917 - joined the 1st Anzac Light Horse Regiment. Whilst on leave from France, he was admitted to hospital in England with Neuralgia.
26 October 1918 - returned to England.
22 December 1918 - returned to Australia per Bakara.
William was discharged from the Army on 31 March 1919.
Post War
There is a letter in his war records dated 29 March 1954, where he writes of a letter his parents received in 1919 signed by King George V. The letter was addressed to him and enclosed a medal. This medal would have been the Victory Medal as noted in the reply to his letter. Williams' address at the time was Springbank, Repatriation Military Hospital, Adelaide.
William died on 17 July 1955 and is buried in the West Terrace Cemetery.
Medals and Entitlments:
- 1914/15 Star
- British War Medal
- Victory Medal
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/