Robert Thomas BARRON

BARRON, Robert Thomas

Service Numbers: 78, 647
Enlisted: Not yet discovered
Last Rank: Lance Corporal
Last Unit: 6th South Australian Imperial Bushmen
Born: Companys Tiers, South Australia , 17 November 1854
Home Town: Malvern, Unley, South Australia
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Bootmaker
Died: Killed in Action, Standerton, Mpumalanga, South Africa, 9 June 1901, aged 46 years
Cemetery: Reitz Garden of Remembrance, Reitz, Free State, South Africa
Memorials: Adelaide Boer War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, North Adelaide St Peter's Cathedral Boer War Honour Roll
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Boer War Service

1 Oct 1899: Involvement Lance Corporal, 78, 1st South Australian Mounted Rifles
6 Apr 1901: Involvement Lance Corporal, 647, 6th South Australian Imperial Bushmen
7 Apr 1901: Involvement Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Lance Corporal, 647, 6th South Australian Imperial Bushmen

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Biography contributed by Faithe Jones

Lance-Corporal Robert Thomas Barron a widower and eldest son of Mr. W. Barron, of "Tulleenessle" Sheffield-street, Malvern before going to South Africa had been 14 years a Sergeant in A Company, 2nd and 1st Infantry Battalions. 

He joined the first contingent as lance-corporal when the war broke out, and was in the field for 13 months, going right through to Pretoria. Not long after the First Contingent returned to Adelaide he married and made up his mind to take his wife and two youngest of his four children by his first marriage to South Africa and  settle there.

He attempted to enlist with the 5th Contingent, but there was no vacancy. A few weeks later he left with the 6th Contingent, as a lance corporal. On 9 June 1901 he was killed in action at Standerton, Mpumalanga, South Africa. He left a widow and four children by his first marriage. 

LANCE-CORPORAL BARRON.
Lance-Corporal R. J. Barron was the eldest son of Mr. W. Barron, of "Tulleenessle" Sheffield-street, Malvern, and was 46 years of age. This was his second trip to South Africa, for  he was a valued member of the First Contingent, under Major Howland. He took part in the long march to Pretoria, and during the thirteen months he was in the field he was  made a corporal. He was at lance-corporal before the contingent left South Australia, and before that he was for 14 years a sergeant in A Company, 2nd Battalion, under Captain  Adams and the late Major Taylor. Not long after the First Contingent returned to Adelaide he made up his mind to settle in South Africa, and with that object he endeavored to join the Fifth Contingent, but there was no vacancy. A few weeks later he left with the Sixth Contingent, with the rank of lance porporal. On May 1 he wrote to his aged parents from Durban a cheerful, hopeful letter. He said he had been appointed corporal, and expected to be made sergeant shortly. He mentioned that the contingent expected to go into action on Sunday, May 5. He was twice married, and by his first marriage he leaves four children. His second marriage took place on March last, justbefore the contingent sailed, his  object be ing to take his wife and two younger children to South Africa to live. He was, however, prepared for the worst, and before he left appointed his mother legal guardian 
of his children .

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