William Barge

Personal Information
Date of Birth	unknown
Place of Birth	Manchester, England
Death	1 Jun 1918
Place of Death	near ALbert, France
Age at Enlistment	21 years old
Description	5' 5½" (1.66m) tall; weight 156 lbs (70.8 kg); dark complexion, grey eyes, black hair
Occupation	farm labourer
Religion	Church of England
Address	c/- Millrace Farm, Beenup SWR, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father Mr William Barge (in UK)
Military Information
Reg Number	228
Date of Enlistment	8 Mar 1915
Rank	Corporal
Unit/Formation	28th Battalion, B Company / 7th Brigade, 2nd Division
Date of Embarkation	9 Jun 1915 - 30 Jun 1915
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A11 Ascanius
Fate	Wounded in Action 31 May 1916, France Killed in Action 1 Jun 1918 near Albert, France.
Monument	Armadale (Beenup panel)
Medals	1914/15 Star British War Medal Victory Medal

War Service

William embarked for Gallipoli from Alexandria on HMT Ivernia on 4 Sep 1915, returning to Alexandria via Mudros on 10 Jan 1916. After a period in the canal defences, the battalion was sent to the Western Front and it disembarked in Marseilles, France on 21 March 1916.

On 3 Jun 1916 while in the front line in the Bois Grenier area east of Fleurbaix, William was wounded in the arm and leg, the first of our local boys to be a casualty on the Western Front. He was treated by the 6th Field Ambulance, and the 8th Casualty Clearing Station on his way to Ontario Military Hospital in England.

He rejoined the battalion on 3 Mar 1917 in the front line near Warlencourt and received promotions to Lance Corporal and Corporal soon afterwards. He was absent from the battalion from 2 Feb to 29 Feb 2016 with illness.

On 1st Jun 1918 the 28th Battalion was being relieved from the front line, when B Company was observed by an enemy plane which dropped two bombs on them, killing 27 and wounding another 40, together with three horses. As this is the only action logged in the Battalion War Diary for that date, we might assume that William was one of the unfortunate 27 who died.

1 Jun 1918 Buried in Plot I, Row D, grave 5 FRANVILLERS COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION. Son of William and Susan Barge, of 45, Boscombe Grove Rd., Bournemouth, England. Native of Moor Farm, Weymouth, England

"...Was wounded in France, returned to duty and then fell ill of diphtheria." (Brother living in Byford and Sister in Perth)

Originally William was reported as wounded, but this was corrected in the 413th Casualty List. "WESTERN AUSTRALIA. ROLL OF HONOUR 413th CASUALTY LIST. The 413th casualty list was released by the Censor yesterday. KILLED IN ACTION. ...... Cpl Barge, William (England), previously reported wounded

Post War

The West Australian Tue 1 Jun 1920 has an In Memoriam Notice inserted by his brother Ebby, but this seems to have been missed by military authorities.

"The Military authorities are desirous of communicating with the next-of-kin of deceased soldiers, who were formerly resident at the addresses given hereunder: No 228 Corporal W. Barge, 28th Battalion, Mr W Barge (father), Coombe Farm, Dorset, England. Report of a marriage in Armadale of Ebby (brother of William) to May Gordin (parents Mr & Mrs A.J. Gordin; grandmother Mrs H. Mead of Beenup)

No other records of the marriage or children for William established.