Orders, Decorations & Medals - Aust. Groups

Lot 3692    SESSION 13 (2.30PM THURSDAY 4TH APRIL)    Orders, Decorations & Medals - Aust. Groups

Estimate $400
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $460

TRIO: 1914-15 Star; British War Medal 1914-18; Victory Medal 1914-19. 166 Pte E.W.Barrett. 19/Bn. A.I.F. on first medal, 166 Pte E.W.Barratt. 19 Bn. A.I.F. on last two medals, note surname spelt incorrectly on last two medals as Barratt instead of Barrett. All medals impressed. Ribbons damaged, otherwise very fine.

Together with King's Silver War badge, reverse numbered A43049; Returned from Active Service badge (AIF), reverse numbered 6609; Princess Mary's Christmas 1914 Gift Fund brass box; N.S.W. Limbless Soldiers Assoc. Eye Section badge (KC), reverse numbered 55 (missing one lug); pair of cufflinks in 9ct rose gold (4.4g), inscribed with the monogrammed initials, 'EWB'; tie-bar in gilt and with an attached leaf design.

Ernest Wilfred Barrett, seaman, age 20, born at Croydon, Surrey, England; Enl.10Feb1915 at Liverpool, NSW, with previous service of 18 months with Berkshire Infantry; Emb.25Jun1915; to Gallipoli 16Aug1915; WIA 17Nov1915 hit in right eye, left arm and left knee by fragments of exploding bomb at Gallipoli; to Hospital Ship Delta at Anzac 20Nov1915; RTA via HS Karoola 20Jan1916; Disch.20Jun1916 Medically Unfit due to retinal detachment of right eye with the likelihood of going totally blind in this eye.

A Board of Enquiry found that Pte Barratt's injury was caused by a bomb accident at Pope's Hill (at the time referred to as Pope's Post by Board of Enquiry) when a catapult bomb was fired by the catapult crew but the canvas pocket of the sling had been damaged causing the bomb to fall short and land in their own front-line trench injuring two soldiers, one of whom was Pte Barrett.