Harry Barnett

[theodore]

Any information on Pte. 7532 Harry Barnett please. He was born in Pleck and was the Husband of Lily Barnett (nee

Brookes). KiA on 6th August 1915 serving with the 4th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment.

Regards

Peter

[IPT]

His MIC says 2nd Worcestershire. Date of entry; 12/9/1914

Can't see any surviving papers

SDGW has this;

Name:Harry Barnett

Birth Place:Pleck, Staffs

Residence:Walsall

Death Date:6 Aug 1915

Death Location:Gallipoli

Enlistment Location:Dudley, Worcs

Rank:Private

Regiment:Worcestershire Regiment

Battalion:4th Battalion

Number:7532

Type of Casualty:Killed in action

Theatre of War:Balkan Theatre

EDIT: There are some papers for James Barnett 2nd Worcesters, born Pleck, enlisted 1893, who I suspect is his brother (one of many if i've found the right family).

[GraemeClarke]

Hi

I have this on him

Henry BARNETT

Private 7532

4th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment

Died in Turkey on Friday 6 August 1915

Born in Pleck, Henry was the son of William and Eliza Barnett of 3, Henry Street, Walsall, his father, who predeceased him in September 1909, being employed as a general labourer. Like his brother, Charles, who is also commemorated on the Walsall roll of honour, he later resided with his brother-in-law, Alfred Wilcox, at 1, Queen Street, Walsall.

Henry, who served under the name of Harry, was married to Lily Brookes in December 1906. There were four children to the marriage, all under eight years of age when he was killed. He lived with his family at 9, Essex Street, North Walsall and had 13 years service with the colours prior to the war. An address of 6, Holtshill Lane, Walsall is also recorded for him.

Previously having worked as a shingler at the Cyclops Ironworks, Henry was working for a firm at Hull when called up on reserve at that time residing at 2, Ebenezer Terrace, Symons Street, Hull. He was drafted to France on Saturday 12 September 1914.

Henry was twice wounded in action. In November 1914 he was wounded in the toes and then in May 1915 he was hit in the shoulder.

Drafted to Gallipoli in June 1915 Henry was killed during an attack on The Vineyard. From their positions on the right of Worcester Flat, the battalion advanced at 3.50pm on the Turkish trench H13, a distance of 300 yards. The leading waves were immediately cut down by machine gun fire from both flanks and very few unwounded men actually made it to the enemy lines. Those that did make it were attacked by large numbers of the enemy. At the end of one hours fighting, just 30 men and a Sergeant held out, this from a battalion of 24 officers and 800 other ranks. Just 12 survivors withdrew to their original lines after midnight.

The War Diary records,

6 August 1915 Battalion left the beach at 4am. Relieved the Munster Fusiliers in trench H11 south of Krithia.

The objective of the attack was trench H13 which was flanked on either end by an advanced redoubt and the trenches running from the redoubts into our front line. These were originally communication trenches but had been converted by the enemy to within bomb throwing distance of our line. These flank positions were to be attacked by other units simultaneously with the Worcesters attack.

Our batteries shelled H13 and flank redoubts the whole morning until 2.30pm when bombardment preceding the infantry advance commenced, when every available gun was brought to bear on this section. The Turkish guns replied with great vigour, shelling our supports and reserves with such effect with their light pieces that several of these trenches became untenable and the troops were moved. Our trench mortars, borrowed from the French, did great execution in the redoubt to our left front and totally demolished the parapet in several places, Breeches also gradually appeared in the parapet of H13.

At 3.40pm the range of the guns was lengthened and the first line went over the parapet, followed almost immediately by the second. The fourth line entered the trench to assist the third line over the parapet. The first line had now covered about 200 yards but were already thinned considerably on the left by machine gun fire notwithstanding the haze of dust which partially obscured them. Many men now forced to stop for breath and when they again advanced came under a heavy enfilade fire. The second line suffered terribly from machine gun fire when about half way across and only isolated groups reached the slope to the Turkish trenches. The third and fourth lines encountered a murderous machine gun and shell fire immediately they left the trench and though none turned back only a small section in dead ground on the right succeeded in getting more than 50 yards from our trench.

On the extreme right our men were enfiladed by a terrible machine gun fire which increased in intensity when the attack on our left failed, and the only survivors from this flank were those who were hit on leaving the trench and fell or scrambled back.

Detached parties of the first and second line had entered the enemys trench and thrown the tin disc over the back parapet to show the sections occupied. On the right a continuous stretch of 30 or 40 yards was occupied by about 30 men and one Sergeant.

The attack on both flanks had failed and the only approach was across the open. It was owing to the failure of these attacks that our men were subjected to a terrible enfilade machine gun fire, which was continuing even after the last line had nearly all been shot down, being brought to bear together with shrapnel on the groups of wounded until scarcely a man was left alive.

At dark an Officers Patrol went out to try and locate the sections of trench H13 occupied by our men but after one hours thorough reconnaissance were convinced that the whole trench was now in the hands of the Turkish.

Many wounded men brought in during the night and at dawn, the battalion returned to Gully Beach for reorganisation having lost in the attack 16 officers and 752 other ranks.

Henry, at 31 years of age, is commemorated on the Helles Memorial on Panel 104 to 113, on the Walsall roll of honour and on the roll of honour at St. Johns Church, Pleck.

Can I ask your connection ?

Have you any other info or pictures at all, please,

Graeme

[theodore]

Hi Graeme,

Sorry for late reply to your posting regarding Harry Barnett (just back from short break). I meant to post this on the Index to Walsall Papers (Sue)section but by mistake posted as a new posting for information (so the confusion of double request). I have no direct connection to Harry but I'm researching the 1914 Star men of the 2nd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment (just over 1650 names so far). I do not have any other information or photgraphs I'm sorry to say but very much appreciate the info and pics you supplied.

Have details for marriage HARRY Barnett to Lily Brookes Dec.Q. 1906 (not HENRY) also birth details for both HENRY and HARRY for March Q. 1884 (both Walsall)?.

IPT,

Thank you for info, will have to check the papers for James Barnett.

Regards

Peter