Barrett, Percy Victor

2587 Private Percy Victor Barrett - 28th Battalion AIF

Percy Victor Barrett was born on the 22nd December 1892 in Kenwyn Cornwall England to Archelus and Mary Barrett. He was the eldest of four siblings, with, Olive (1897), Archie (1899) and John (1901). He was educated and grew up in Cornwall and by 1911 he was living at St Agnes.

In August 1913 Percy left England to travel to Western Australia. Arriving on the transport ship Ajana, part of the Australian Steam Ship Company he landed at Fremantle on the 2nd October 1913.

Percy was living in Bay Road North Fremantle in the 1914/15 period

On the 14th August 1915 Percy enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was accepted as fit for service with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 9 inches;

Weight - 154lbs;

Chest Measurement - 32-35 inches;

Complexion - Fresh;

Eyes - Blue;

Hair - Fair.

Upon his successful enlistment Percy was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to No.24 Training Depot. He was taken through the basics of infantry work at this depot camp. On the 16th October 1915 he was transferred into the 6th Reinforcements to the 28th Battalion AIF.

He trained with this group in WA for the next two weeks but their embarkation orders soon arrived and on the 2nd November 1915, Percy and his group entrained for Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Ulysses and set sail for Egypt.

After arriving in Egypt three weeks later the men were disembarked and sent to the 2nd Australian Division reinforcement camp. It appears Percy required dental work so he did not join the 28th Battalion for some months.

Still, part of the 2nd Division reinforcements, Percy left Egypt on the 21st March 1916 aboard the troopship Oriana, arriving at Marseilles on the 27th March 1916. The 2nd Division reinforcement group were sent north to Etaples where the 2nd Australian Division Base Depot Camp was formed. Percy remained at the Depot Camp until the 24th May 1916 when he was taken on strength of the 28th Battalion.

The 28th Battalion were then in the front line in the Armentieres sector. After a brief stint in southern Belgium, the 28th Battalion were then moved to the Somme battlefield. The 1st Australian Division had captured Pozieres village on the 23rd July 1916. The 2nd Australian Division then relieved the 1st Division and attempted to further the gains already made.

On the 29th July 1916 the 28th Battalion attacked the German lines along the highest part of the battlefield and the Germans poured a devastating fire into the advancing men. Casualties were heavy but Percy had come through safely. A week later on the 4th August 1916 another attempt was made to capture the German positions and this was successful. The 28th Battalion helped capture the vital windmill position but Percy had been wounded in the leg and arm.

He was given initial medical treatment at the 4th Field Ambulance and was then sent to No.26 General Hospital at Etaples. After six days in hospital here Percy was then transferred to England. He had suffered serious damage to his knee and femur and Percy remain in hospital in England till November 1916.

He was then invalided back to Australia, leaving Portland England on the hospital transport ship Wiltshire on the 12th November 1916. He arrived back in Fremantle on the 31st December 1916.

After returning to WA Percy was sent to No.8 Australian General Hospital in South Terrace Fremantle. He was given further medical treatment here.

Percy was discharged from the AIF on the 12th July 1917. He then remained in Western Australia into 1918 but then decided to go travelling.

On the 6th September 1920 Percy arrived in New York City. He then remained in the US and on the 17th September 1921 married Elizabeth Gertrude Pinkey and they had two children, Joan (1923) and Victor (1927).

During this time Percy and Elizabeth lived in Detroit Michigan and Percy was working as a trimmer in an auto factory in Detroit. He continued this work through to the 1930's.

Sadly Percy died on the 24th February 1939 and was buried at Royal Oak Cemetery in Michigan.

(Photo of Percy courtesy of the family ancestry page)