Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Thomas (George) Barrett was born in Kangaroo Valley on 15 May 1889. He was 26 years of age and a dairy farmer at the time of his enlistment in Brisbane on 1 April 1916. He was a tall man at 6’ 2”.

George embarked with the 49th Battalion (B Coy, 7th Platoon) from Brisbane on 16 August 1916 on the HMAT Boorara.

The Boorara entered Royal Australian Navy service in exceptional circumstances. Named after a small goldfields town east of Perth, the name has an aboriginal meaning that has been lost in time. Originally the cargo ship SS Pfalz of the German shipping company Norddeutscher Lloyd she was tied up at Victoria Dock Melbourne on 5 August 1914 unloading general cargo from Germany and Austria when news of the outbreak of war was heard. She cast off and ignored signals and a warning shot to halt. As she was approaching the Port Phillip Heads the Royal Australian Artillery Garrison at Fort Nepean was informed of the declaration of war, and given orders “to stop her or sink her.” Further signals for the Pfalz to halt were ignored so a second shot was fired across her bows. The pilot was still on-board at this time and warned that the second round would be directed at the ship. The ship’s Master Wilhelm Kuhlken returned to Portsea where the crew was arrested and interred. The vessel was re-fitted as the troopship Boorara at Williamstown and served throughout the conflict, later repatriating Australian servicemen home. As such, the Boorara (Pfalz) was the target of the first shot fired by Australian forces in the war.

Barrett spent the first two months of his overseas duty in England in weapons and tactics training before being taken on strength in the battalion in January 1917.

George’s first major engagement was in the Battle of Messines which commenced on 7 June 1917 with the detonation of 19 huge mines under the Messines Ridge and the German positions. The blasts were so spectacular that they were heard in London 130 miles away.
The 49th Battalion advanced through Messines with the 13th Brigade and met stiff resistance as they approached the town of Wambeke. This is recorded by Charles Bean in The AIF in France Vol. IV at pp632 as:
“The 49th (Queensland) which advanced … met with murderous fire, and barely reached the German entanglement. Every company commander was killed.”

The battalion had moved up to its pre-assigned jumping off position but came under heavy enemy shelling that caused many casualties. To make matters worse their own barrage fell short on several occasions during the day into their advance inflicting further losses. The battalion was bravely led from the front as in addition to the loss of the company commanders, 10 of the 12 platoon officers became casualties also.

Amid this fury George received a severe gunshot wound to the back of the left hand during this first day of the Messines operation. The injury fractured and displaced the bones in his hand and was severe enough for Barrett to be transferred to England for treatment. Despite the wound creating a permanent 20% incapacity in his hand he was deemed fit for continued active service and re-joined his battalion in the field on 27 November 1917.

George was wounded again during action late in the war near Bray in France. Captain Robert Argue (MC and Bar) of the 49th Battalion gave the following account:
“Barrett was an excellent soldier, always cheerful, and one of the most popular in the Company. Following an operation, carried out by the battalion on night of 12-13 August 1918, when the village of Etinehem and the high ground along the Bray-Corbie Road was captured, a very heavy barrage was fired against our position by enemy artillery on the morning of 13th August, during which Barrett was completely buried by the explosion of a large shell and had to be dug out. Although very badly shaken he remained on duty.
After the battalion was relieved, some days later, I can distinctly remember him still suffering from the effects but do not know if he reported to the M.O. [Medical Officer].
Captain R. [Richard] Tambling … would also testify to Barrett’s sterling service.”

George was later of the opinion that his lungs were affected by the inhaled dust, fumes and poisonous gas at this time. German machine gun fire was constantly sweeping the battleground and he could not make it back to the Aid Post. A persistent cough would plague him for the rest of his life.

George did not return to Australia immediately as he married Elizabeth Bell in Belfast on 30 April 1919. He landed back in Brisbane in late September 1919 to be discharged in November that year. He and Elizabeth moved to the border town of Tweed Heads NSW to set up home and George resumed his work as a farmer growing bananas and sugar cane. A son, Albert Norman Barrett, was born to them on 13 April 1920, with two other children following in 1922 and 1927. By 1941 he had become a stock inspector, working at the Lismore office until retirement in 1954.

George made numerous attempts for a reasonable war pension for the chronic bronchitis and pulmonary fibrosis of which he was suffering in his later years. He maintained this condition was the after effects of the time he was buried by the high explosive shell in France in August 1918.
The reduction of his war pension in 1955 was followed by a furious letter to the Repatriation Department:
“I am not only disappointed but disgusted with the pension allotted to me. I don’t think that any Returned Soldier has had the blunt treatment that I have had. To my surprise I only get half of that amount. May I to think I must have fired on the wrong enemy.
I must say I am very proud to receive the huge sum from Australia of ₤3-9-6 per two weeks (Lest we Forget).”

Captain Argue’s testimonial was forwarded in 1964 to further support the application.

He died aged 77 years at the Greenslopes General Repatriation Hospital in Brisbane on 7 August 1966. The cause of death was listed as heart failure but also debility (general weakness), emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

Elizabeth had passed away in 1964.