Apr 26, 1874
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Born to William
John and Ann (nee Pizer) Barratt at Grimsby England
In July of
1902 he was married in Lincolnshire England
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Nov 18, 1915
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Attested into
the 91st Battalion at Chatham Ontario
Ø Number 189375
Ø Next of kin given as Mrs Williams, sister, of 108 Harold St, Grimsby
England
o He reported that he was a widower
Ø Previous occupation given as A.B. Seaman (Indicating that he was
certified as an Able Seaman)
Ø No previous military experience given
Ø Religion given as Methodist
Ø Assigned to “D” Company
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May 1, 1916
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On Command to the
School of Signalling, but there is no indication in the file as to when he rejoined the
Battalion
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Jun 28, 1916
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Embarked the RMS
Olympic at Halifax Nova Scotia
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Jul 5, 1916
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Disembarked at
Liverpool England
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Jul 15, 1916
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Transferred to
the 39th Reserve Battalion at West Sandling
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Jul 16, 1916
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Attached to the
3rd CIB (Canadian Infantry Brigade) Signal Base at West Sandling
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Sep 21, 1916
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Transferred to
the 21st Battalion
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Sep 22, 1916
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Arrived at the
CBD (Canadian Base Depot) at the Rouelles Camp, Havre France as part of a draft of 145
reinforcements coming from England
TOS (Taken On
Strength) the 21st Battalion
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Oct 7, 1916
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Left the CBD to
join the Battalion
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Oct 9, 1916
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Joined the 21st
Battalion in billets at Fieffes France as part of a draft of 80 reinforcements that were
required after the losses at Courcelette
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Dec 26, 1916
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Admitted to no 4
CFA (Canadian Field Ambulance) diagnosed with Myalgia to his back and legs
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Dec 28, 1916
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Transferred to
the Canadian Rest Camp to convalesce
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Jan 8, 1917
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Discharged to
duty from the Rest Camp
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From the 21st Battalion War Diary
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Jul 11, 1917
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On the night of
July 10/11 the 21st Battalion was relieving the 22nd Battalion and
while the Battalion was moving into the line in the early hours of the morning, the
explosion of a German artillery shell killed Pte Barratt.
He was
initially buried in the Lievin Military Cemetery, but at war’s end, his remains were
exhumed and reburied in the Caldron Military Cemetery (Red Mill). It was later decided to amalgamate the Canadian
burials there and he was exhumed a 2nd time and reburied in the Loos British
Cemetery at Loos-en-Gohelle France.
Loos
British Cemetery
Pas de Calais, France
Following the war the
British War Medal, Victory Medal, Plaque (Dead Man’s Penny) and Scroll were sent to
his son, Sidney Barratt, c/o Mrs Margaret Stanton, the children’s Guardian, 56 Amelia
St, Chatham Ontario
No Memorial Cross was
issued as both his wife and mother had predeceased him
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Below is from the
June 1936 issue of the Communiqué, the 21st Battalion Association newsletter published
for many years after the war. As is often the case with 20 year old memories, the
writer mixed up the fact that they were in fact moving into the Reserve line, not being
relieved from it. Other than that minor detail, one must assume that the remainder
of the details are correct
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