BARRY, Sidney Roy
| Service Number: | VX18976 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 29 May 1940 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 2nd/2nd Pioneer Battalion |
| Born: | Manchester, England, 28 October 1900 |
| Home Town: | Yannathan, Cardinia, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Died: | Murdered (POW of Japan), 80k Camp, Burma, 9 September 1943, aged 42 years |
| Cemetery: |
Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery, (Burma) A9 A 10, |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial, Lang Lang War Memorial |
World War 2 Service
| 29 May 1940: | Enlisted Private, VX18976, Caulfield, Victoria | |
|---|---|---|
| 29 May 1940: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, VX18976, 2nd/2nd Pioneer Battalion | |
| 30 May 1940: | Involvement Private, VX18976, 2nd/2nd Pioneer Battalion, Malaya/Singapore | |
| 9 Sep 1942: | Involvement Private, VX18976, 2nd/2nd Pioneer Battalion, Prisoners of War |
VX18976 SR Barry
Remembering Sidney Roy Barry, my Mother's Uncle, on ANZAC Day 2018.
Your service and sacrifice are remembered on what will be the 75th anniversary of your untimely and cruel death.
God bless you Sidney for allowing us the freedom we now enjoy.
Submitted 25 April 2018 by Anthony Woodley
Private Sidney Barry
We as a family sadly never got to meet Sidney my Grand-Mothers brother, she would have been devastated to know how he met his death. She spoke of him fondly for years. We never knew if he married or had any children who would have been my Mothers cousins. He had English relatives and American relatives living in North Carolina, his sister Isobel went to live with her daughter Sandra Sidney’s neiece who is still living and my mother also is still alive...He was one of 9 children from Manchester. My Grand-Mother was Emma May. Bertie his brother died only a few years ago from Hyde, a small suburb of Greater Manchester. He also has a niece Bertie’s Daughter alongside all of us 5 girls Great nieces living around the greater Manchester area and 3 great nieces in America.
I am very proud and sad to hear how Sidney met his death, and now I think of him every year with a heavy heart knowing he fought for us to live the life we have now; When November comes around now, I feel extremely emotional knowing I had a relative who suffered at the hands of the Japanese...I am extra thankful for the soilders and witnesses that gave evidence at the War Crimes Trials...
Submitted 19 March 2018 by Christine O'Reilly
Biography
The War Crimes tribunal recorded that Pte. Barry, who was suffering chronic malaria and dysentry, was too ill to attend work. Korean (Civillian) guard - Masaki Fumio (recordsearch.naa.gov.au) then dragged Pte. Barry from his hut, beating him and kicking him severely. Pte Barry was forced to attend work, where he collapsed and was taken back to camp. Pte. Barry received further beatings that day, and he died the following day.
At War's end, at the War Crimes trial of that guard, he denied the charges against him.
Masaki Fumio (recordsearch.naa.gov.au) was convicted of War Crimes against Australian, British and American POW's. He was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment.
The National Archives of Australia (NAA) has the digitized file of those court proceedings against Masaki Fumio, including photos of him on Page 51 and 55 at THIS LINK (recordsearch.naa.gov.au)
Click images to start slideshow.