Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Albert Frederick Barrett, enlsted in 1915 having just turned 16 years of age. He fought at Pozieres, with the 5th Battalion and was reported wounded in action on the 20th August 1916, although not seriously as he remained with his unit. 

He had two brothers killed in action during July 1916, 4431 Private James Benjamin Barrett, 60th Battalion AIF was killed at Fromelles and 1318 Private Alfred Ernest Barrett 2nd Battalion AIF died a few days later at Pozieres. A third brother, 4665 Private William John Barrett 21st Battalion AIF, was killed in action at Fricourt, France, on 24 December 1916. 

A week later, 3706 Private Albert Frederick Barrett, still only 17 years of age, was aware of his brothers’ deaths. On the 1st January 1917, Albert wrote to his parents, ‘Dear, darling mother and father, just a few loving lines to let you no I am in the best of health but worried over your Brave and Dauntless sons I don’t like stating it to you dear mother but as you no that Ben and Alf are gone I will have to tell you that poor old Jack died on the Battlefield it is only a miracle that I am still alive dear mother as I have fought and men have been killed alongside of me if you wish to claim me dear mother and father till I am 18 years of age you could easily write a letter to my Colonel or I think it would be better to write to the 1st Divisional Base and state what Batt I belong to my address is 3706 F.A. Barrett 1st Pioneer Batt A.I.F. France I no I will get killed if I m not out of this place shortly or you just want to say that you have three sons killed and I am only 17 years of age and perhaps I may see you and all at home….., your loving son Fred.’

Fred Barrett, (real name Frederick Albert, enlisted as Albert Frederick) was by this stage in a fair amount of trouble. He had transferred to the 1st Pioneer Battalion during September 1916. On the 2 November 1916, he went missing while the unit was on active service at Bernafay Wood. Barrett was apprehended by military police in Havre, 200 kilometres away on the French coast, 10 days later. He was charged with desertion and at a Field General Court Martial held on Boxing Day 1916, two days after his third brother Jack was killed, and he was found guilty and sentenced to death by being shot. Capital punishments however were not forced on Australian troops. Though liable to be executed for mutiny, desertion to the enemy or treachery, of the 129 Australians (including 119 deserters) that were sentenced to death during the war, none were not shot. Frederick gave a sworn statement of evidence at his court martial in which he said “The reason why I left the battalion was because I was worried over having two of my brothers killed at Pozieres. Since my brothers were killed my nerves have left me. I wish to state my present age is 17 and half years. When I left the unit, I thought I had a chance of getting home.” The officers at Fred’s court martial recommended mercy on the grounds of his extreme youth, and the loss of two brothers in action. They would not yet have known that a third brother had been killed. General Rawlinson CO of the 4th Army changed the sentence to two years in hard labour on the 7 January 1917, and the sentence was suspended.

During February 1917, Fred’s sister and his mother both wrote to Senator Pearce the Australian Minister of Defence. The letters were written appealing to have Fred sent home, as the family was extremely distraught at having lost three sons and also the fact that Frederick seemed so gloomy about his future. The sister wrote "his mother and father are up in years and I don’t think they could bear any bad news of the fourth son’. The mother, Alice Barrett pleaded ‘Could you kindly try and have him sent home as I think three sons out of one family is quite enough for a Mother and Father to bear? Trusting you will do your best for a distressed mother as he is only 17 years old…."

The Defence Department contacted the Commandant of the Third Military District in Melbourne seeking more information on the family, with regard to the correctness of their claim, their financial position and the number of children in the family. The commandant replied by the 13 March 1917, having obtained a report from the Civil Police at Brunswick regarding the circumstances of the family. Essentially Mr. and Mrs. Barrett were old age pensioners, and had a 19-year-old daughter working at the Rope Works in Brunswick, a 20-year-old daughter doing house work at home, and a 12-year-old son, Samuel David. The police reported that the family was of good character and not in very good financial circumstances. Both the Police and the Commandant recommended that the application by Mrs. Barrett, to have her son sent home, should receive favourable consideration.

On the 2 April 1917, the Defence Department cabled the Commandant AIF Headquarters in London stating that 3706 Private F.A. Barrett may be returned to Australia for discharge due to family reasons. Mrs. Barrett was also informed of this decision. In the meantime, Frederick had his 2 years imprisonment suspended and been sent back to his unit. He went absent without leave from his unit again on the 6 April 1917, only 4 days before the Government had asked for his return to Australia. He was arrested by the military police in Havre on 12 April 1917.

On the 27 April 1917, a reply was received from London stating that in regards to the request, Private Barrett was being detained for trial for another serious offence. This reply of course also had to be transmitted to Mrs. Barrett. The suspended sentence was reimposed and Fred faced 2 years in prison.

After much correspondence between the authorities Fred Barrett was returned to Australia, leaving England on the 25 August 1917. When he arrived in Melbourne on 24 October 1917, he was placed in the Geelong Gaol. Lieutenant General Birdwood, GOC AIF, was the one who actually suggested that Fred Barrett be returned to Australia and that his fate be left at the discretion of the Australian Government when he arrived. A Department of Defence Committee was quickly set up in Melbourne to review Fred Barrett’s case and their recommendation was that the remaining portion of his sentence be remitted and he was to be released from Geelong Gaol on the 11 November 1917.