Barrett, Sydney

1584 Private Sydney Barrett - 4th Pioneer Battalion AIF

Sidney Barrett was born in Warrina South Australia on the 11th November 1891 to Frederick and Alice Barrett. He was one of eight siblings, with, Emma (1878), Frederick (1882), Charles (1883), Harrold (1886), Roy (1888), John (1893) and Amelia (1898).

The family moved to Western Australia in the 1900's and took up residence at 23 Grey Street Fremantle (later renumbered to 21). While living here he was working as a labourer for his father who ran the Reliance Woodyard in Fremantle.

On the 19th November 1914 Sydney successfully enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was accepted as fit for service with the medical examiner recording Sydney's physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 6 & 1/2 inches tall;

Weight - 118lbs;

Chest Measurement - 33-35 inches;

Complexion - Fair;

Eyes - Blue;

Hair - Fair.

Upon his successful enlistment Sydney was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to the 3rd Reinforcements to the 16th Battalion AIF. 

Sydney trained with this group in WA for the next two months. On the 22nd February 1915 Sydney and his group entrained for Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Itonus. The ship then set sail for Egypt. The ship arrived there in mid March 1915.

The 16th Battalion had soon departed for Lemnos Island in preparation for their landing at Gallipoli, however Sydney had remained in Egypt. On the 25th April 1915 the 16th Battalion went ashore at Gallipoli towards evening and were involved in several sharp actions in the next two weeks. Sydney was taken on strength of the 16th Battalion at Gallipoli on the 7th May 1915. He took part in the action at Quinn's Post two days later. He survived this unscathed but on the 24th May 1915 was wounded by a Turkish grenade. He was evacuated back to hospital in Egypt where he remained for the next two months.

On the 21st July 1915 Sydney rejoined the 16th Battalion at Gallipoli. He took part in the 8th August advance into the northern foothills towards Hill 971 and was wounded on the 10th August 1915. The wound was to the right knee and he was evacuated to hospital in Mudros.

Sydney rejoined his unit when they had a rest on Lemnos Island and then returned to Gallipoli. However he fell ill and was evacuated on the 13th December 1915 just a week prior to the Gallipoli evacuation. Sydney spent a few weeks in hospital at Mudros and then Egypt but he rejoined the 16th Battalion in Egypt on the 24th January 1916.

On the 15th March 1916 Sydney was transferred to the 4th Pioneer Battalion AIF. After training with them for the next few months in Egypt, the 4th Pioneers headed for France in June 1916.

Sydney served with the 4th Pioneer Battalion in France and Belgium through 1916 to 1918, serving in all their major actions. He had been wounded twice on Gallipoli but had got through three years on the Western Front without being wounded again.

In December 1918 he returned to England and then boarded the transport ship Burma which brought him back to Fremantle, arriving on the 22nd January 1919.

He was discharged from the AIF on the 23rd March 1919.

His brother John Robert Barrett also served in the Grear War, serving with the Australian Army Medical Corps.

He then returned to live at Grey Street and began work as a wood merchant. Sadly his mother Alice had died in 1917 while Sydney was in France so he remained helping his father at the wood yard for the next few years.

In 1925 he married May Victoria Free and they would have children, Meryl and Neil. The family were then living 7 Mary Street Fremantle.

They then moved to 553 (later 276) High Street in 1931 and Sydney was now working as a rabbit merchant.

Sydney served for three years during World War Two. He was given the regimental number W27333 and served with the 10th Garrison Battalion and then in the 29th Garrison Battalion. He served mainly in the Swanbourne and coastal areas. He served between 1940 to 1942.

By 1943 the family were living at 86 Sewell Street East Fremantle and Sydney was working as a labourer.

They remained at 86 Sewell Street till the 1950's and then moved to 29 Oldham Crescent South Fremantle. They lived here till the 1970's

His wife May died on the 7th September 1976 and Sydney followed her the following year on the 19th May 1977 in Hilton, aged 85. He was cremated at Fremantle Cemetery.