Barrett, John Robert

16262 Private John Robert Barrett - 6th Field Ambulance AIF

John Robert Barrett was born in Adelaide South Australia 1893 to Frederick and Alice Barrett. He was one of eight siblings, with, Emma (1878), Frederick (1882), Charles (1883), Harrold (1886), Roy (1888), Sydney (1891), 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. John also found work as a Shop Assistant in Fremantle.

On the 1st February 1916 John enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was found to be fit for enlistment with the medical officer recording John's details as;

Height - 5 feet 6 inches;

Weight - 126lbs;

Chest Measurement - 31-35 inches;

Complexion - Fresh;

Eyes - Blue;

Hair - Brown.

Upon his successful enlistment John was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp. He spent a week in the training depot where he was taken through the basics of infantry work. On the 4th March 1916 he was transferred to the Australian Army Service Corps. He spent two weeks with this group but on the 16th March 1916 was transferred to the Australian Army Medical Corps. John then spent the next several months working as a medical orderly in the training camps in WA. After he had successfully completed this work he was then assigned to a medical corps reinforcement group.

On the 29th December 1916 John and his medical corps reinforcements were entrained for Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Persic. The ship then set sail for England, reaching Devonport Harbour on the 3rd March 1917.

After being disembarked John was sent to Parkhouse Camp. He spent ten days there then was transferred to No.4 Command Depot Camp at Wareham. John spent three weeks there but on the 6th April 1917 he was sent over to France. John then spent two weeks at the Base Depot Camp at Etaples and on the 19th April 1917 was taken on strength of the 6th Field Ambulance.

The 6th Field Ambulance was attached to the 6th Brigade of the 2nd Division AIF. John had two weeks with his unit before he was thrown into the Second Battle of Bullecourt on the 3rd May 1917. The 2nd Australian Division attacked and captured a portion of the German line and then withheld all the counter attack to retake it. Casualties were heavy and John would have been kept busy evacuating casualties. The 6th Brigade were in the line for a few days before they were relieved by the 1st Division.

John had come through his first action unscathed and after this the 2nd Australian Division were sent on a three month rest period out of the line. Much of the time from June to August 1917 was taken up by training and sporting activities.

In September 1917 John and his unit returned to the front in Belgium as they would take part in the Third Battle of Ypres. The 2nd Division were involved in the Battle of Menin Road and around Polygon Wood, on September 20th 1917 and then around Zonnebeke and Broodseinde Ridge on October 4th 1917. They were also then involved in operations on October 9th 1917 up towards Passchendaele. John survived these battles without being wounded. Much of the time when he was evacuating casualties he would have been under heavy Germans machine gun and artillery fire.

However his health was suffering and on the 16th October John was evacuated ill with scabies. After treatment at the 6th Field Ambulance and the 50th Casualty Clearing Station John was transferred to the 47th General Hospital at Le Treport on the French coast. He remained there till the 21st November 1917 and he was then returned to the Base Depot Camp however he fell ill again and was then sent to the 39th General Hospital at Le Havre.

John ended up rejoining the 6th Field Ambulance in Belgium on the 29th November 1917.

On the 8th December 1917 John was detached for duty for a week with the 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station but returned to the 6th Field Ambulance on the 15th December 1917.

The 6th Field Ambulance remained in Belgium from December 1917 to March 1918, as the Australians held the front line in Belgium from south east of Ypres to Messines.

As a result of the German Spring Offensive which broke through the British line further south, the Australian Divisions were sent south to the region around the Somme and Amiens. John's 6th' Brigade were sent to the area around Ville-sur-Ancre where they soon came into contact with the Germans. The German advance was stopped and the next few months a stalemate developed.

On August 8th 1918 the Australians took part in the great advance from Villers Bretonneux in which the Germans were pushed back. John's 6th Brigade were in action until October 5th 1918 at Montbrehain. They were the last Australian infantry unit still in action and were then withdrawn for a well deserved rest.

John came through this period unscathed though as casualties had been heavy over the last few months John's work with the 6th Field Ambulance would have been heavy.

After the Armistice was signed on 11th November 1918, the Australians were sent into what had been German occupied parts of Belgium and France. The 2nd Australian Division were sent to around Charleroi in Belgium. In January 1919 John was granted a three week leave break to Paris, returning to his unit on the 16th February 1919. He then remained with his unit in Belgium until the 18th April 1919. He was then sent to England where he was set to work at the AIF camps at Sutton Veny and Fovant.

On the 1st June 1919 John boarded the transport ship Somali and then set sail for Fremantle, reaching home on the 8th July 1919. He was then discharged from the AIF on the 5th August 1919.

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In 1923 John married Wilma Cummins in Boulder and a daughter Margaret was born in North Fremantle in 1924.

1968 living at 9 Peter Street in Attadale.

John died on the 17th August 1985 aged 91. He was cremated at Fremantle Cemetery but was memorilaised at the Karrakatta Cemetery Rose Garden.