Barr, John
3060 Private John (Jack) Barr - 28th Battalion AIF
John Barr was born in Brunswick Melbourne Victoria in 1893 to John and Flora Barr. He had four sisters, Muriel, Molly, Lizzie and Lilly.
The family moved across to Western Australia while John was still young and he completed his education in Fremantle.
After leaving school John took up an apprenticeship in the trade of boiler making. This was for five years duration at the Locomotive workshops in Midland. At the time the Barr family were living in Thompson Road North Fremantle.
John was also a good sportsman and played football and cricket for the local North Fremantle teams.
Prior to the Great War John went to the Goldfields for work purposes at the Kalgoorlie Locomotive Sheds.
On the 22nd August 1915 John enlisted into the AIF in Kalgoorlie. He was found to be fit for service with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 9 inches tall;
Weight - 170lbs;
Chest Measurement - 35-38 inches;
Complexion - Medium;
Eyes - Blue;
Hair - Brown.
After his successful enlistment John was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to No.27 Training Depot. He was taken through the basics of infantry work at this training depot.
On the 1st November 1915 John was transferred into the 7th Reinforcements to the 28th Battalion. He trained with this group in WA for the next several weeks while they waited for their embarkation orders to arrive. These orders finally came through and on the 18th January 1916 John and his group boarded the transport ship HMAT Medic in Fremantle Harbour and set sail for Egypt.
After arriving in Egypt in mid-February 1916, John found that the 28th Battalion was already at it's full complement of numbers she he was kept with the 2nd Division reinforcement camp. John didn't have long in Egypt as he departed for France on the 21st March 1916, arriving at Marseilles on the 27th March 1916.
John and the 2nd Division reinforcements were then entrained north for Etaples. The 2nd Australian Division Base Depot was then established there and he remained there for the next few weeks.
John eventually joined the 28th Battalion on the 3rd May 1916. The 28th Battalion were then in the line near Bois Greiner which is near Armentieres. The 28th Battalion remained there till June 1916 and after a short stint near Ploegsteert Wood, the 28th Battalion were sent to the Somme battlefield.
On the 22/23rd July 1916 the 1st Australian Division captured the village of Pozieres from the Germans. Five days later the 2nd Division came in and relieved the 1st Division.
On the 29th July 1916 the 28th Battalion were tasked with the capture of the German trench system around the vital windmill position. The ground was elevated in this area and the Germans were able to pour a withering fire into the advancing Western Australians and as a result casualties were very heavy. John came through this action safely but when the windmill position was captured by the 28th Battalion on the 4th August 1916, John was shot in the head.
Fortunately it appears to have just been a glancing blow as after two weeks of medical attention he was back with the 28th Battalion on the 18th August 1916.
The 28th Battalion saw further action at Mouquet Farm but in September 1916 were sent to Ypres in Belgium which was then a quieter part of the front line.
The 28th Battalion returned to the Somme in October 1916 and on November 5th they took part in an advance which was attempting to capture the German trench opposite them. The conditions were horribly muddy and the attack failed, despite the bravery of the soldiers involved.
John was shot through the arm, knee and leg and after initial medical treatment at the Field Ambulance he was sent to the 38th casualty Clearing Station where further work was carried out on his wounds.
John was then sent by ambulance train to the French town of Rouen and was admitted to the 3rd Stationary Hospital. John only had three days here as he was then transferred to England.
On his arrival in England John was admitted to the 3rd London General Hospital. John spent the next two months in hospital here and it was clear that he could take no more part in the war, so the decision was made to return him home to Australia.
On the 14th January 1917 John was sent aboard the hospital ship Kanowna in Southampton and the ship then set sail for Australia, arriving at Fremantle on the 8th March 1917.
He was then sent to No.8 Australian General Hospital in South Terrace Fremantle for a medical check.
John was discharged from the AIF on the 7th September 1917.
While he had been discharged due to his wounds, John still wanted to serve, so on the 5th December 1917 he one again enlisted. It appears he was attached to the Australian Army Service Corps within WA for a short period but he never embarked overseas.
From 1919 to 1921 he was living on site at the Base Hospital as complications from his wounds were happening.
Sadly, his mother Flora died in North Fremantle in March 1921.
In 1960 John was living at 55 Penguin Road Safety Bay.
John Barr died in 1974 aged 80. He was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery.