Alfred Ernest BARRETT

Alfred Ernest BARRETT Update Details

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BARRETT, Alfred Ernest

Service Number:	1318
Enlisted:	27 October 1914
Last Rank:	Private
Last Unit:	2nd Infantry Battalion
Born:	Northcote, Victoria, Australia, 17 March 1891
Home Town:	Brunswick, Moreland, Victoria
Schooling:	Brunswick Central State School, Victoria, Australia
Occupation:	Farm labourer
Died:	Killed in Action, Pozieres, France, 25 July 1916, aged 25 years
Cemetery:	No known grave - "Known Unto God" Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France
Memorials:	Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, City of Brunswick Honour Roll, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial (Australian National Memorial - France)

World War 1 Service

27 Oct 1914:	Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1318, 2nd Infantry Battalion
11 Feb 1915:	Involvement Private, 1318, 2nd Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Seang Bee embarkation_ship_number: A48 public_note: ''
11 Feb 1915:	Embarked Private, 1318, 2nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Seang Bee, Sydney

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Biography contributed by Stephen Brooks

Private Alfred Ernest Barrett, a labourer, of West Brunswick, Victoria was one of four brothers to serve during the First World War. They were the sons of William J Barrett and Maria Barrett, 28 Albion Street, Brunswick, Victoria. The father William Barrett, also died in Melbourne during late 1917. Alf Barrett was wounded in the right thigh on Gallipoli during August 1915 and was evacuated to Cairo, for treatment and rehabilitation before rejoining his unit on 4 November 1915. Alfred was killed in action at Pozieres on 25 July 1916 aged 25 years. His younger brother, Pte James Benjamin Barrett was killed at Fromelles a week earlier and his older brother Pte William John Barrett was killed in action at Fricourt, France, on 24 December 1916. The fourth brother, Frederick Albert had enlisted on 21 July 1915 at 16 years of age and was discharged on 10 December 1917.

According to his Red Cross file, Alfred Ernest Barrett was in the bay of a trench at or near Pozieres when it was struck by a heavy shell which killed and buried him. His remains were never found.

His sister stated on his Roll of Honour form, “He was killed in action at the Battle of Pozieres. Buried by a shell. He was the brother of two deceased soldier sons killed in action. Also the brother of a returned soldier, AF Barrett."

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