Barrett, Peter

Peter Douglas Barrett - 11th Battalion AIF

Peter Douglas Barrett was born in Fremantle WA to Peter Dudley & Annie Barrett in 1885. The family lived in Fremantle for a few years but due to Peter’s father working in the Railways, the family moved around the state a bit. It was in Toodyay, where a brother Walter was born in 1888. Unfortunately, Walter died in 1891 in Northam but a sister, Eileen was born in Bunbury in 1895.Peter attended local schools where possible and later took up training to be a clerk. Peter became a Telegraph Linesman and was residing in Carr Street West Perth prior to enlisting into the AIF.

On the 30^th October 1914 he was accepted though with the proviso that his enlistment was subject to getting a 2^nd set of false teeth. The medical examiner found Peter to be 5 feet 9 & ½ inches in height; weight of 135 lbs; chest measurement of 35-37 inches; fair complexion; grey eyes and light brown hair. His religious denomination was Roman Catholic.

Peter was assigned the regimental number 1309 and allotted to the 2^nd Reinforcements to the 11^th Battalion AIF. He trained at Blackboy Hill Camp until 22^nd February 1915 when his reinforcement group left Fremantle Harbour on the H.M.A.T. A50 “Itonus”. After arriving in Egypt in March they were soon sent on to Lemnos Island. Peter did not join up with the 11^th Battalion and after the landing had taken place he was attached to the Beach Party under the command of Captain Littler 12^th Battalion & adjutant Anzac Cove Area. From April to late August he was on duty in the beach area. On the 29^th August 1915 he was evacuated to hospital on Mudros with Influenza. It was serious enough for him to be evacuated to hospital in Malta. Peter did not go back to Gallipoli but stayed in Malta for the next few months. He arrived back in Egypt in February 1916 where he joined the Base Depot, only rejoining the 11^th Battalion on the 6th March. A few weeks training took place before the 11^th Battalion embarked from Alexandria.

The 11^th Battalion arrived at Marseilles France on the 5^th April 1916 and they were sent up to the region around Armentieres. They garrisoned the trenches in this region in the next few months to become used to life on the Western Front. On the 30^th May 1916 the Germans launched a massive raid on the trenches held by the 11^th Battalion. The raid caught the 11^th by surprise and many men were killed, wounded and taken prisoner, before the Germans withdrew. Peter Barrett was killed by German shellfire in the raid.

He was buried alongside many of his battalion mates at Rue Petillon Military Cemetery Plot I.H.55. His mother requested that the following epitaph be put on his grave;

He has borne his cross, he has joined his crown though lies in a far off grave and we think of his noble life, a duty done, manly, unselfish and brave’.

However she was informed it was too long so it became

‘An Australian soldier, his duty nobly done’.