Lance Corporal 37652 Leigh Ward

• Age: 21
• From: Melbourne
• Regiment: MGC (233 COY)
• Died on Friday 29th March 1918
• Commemorated at: Duisans Bc
  Panel Ref: V.F.64

Leigh Ward Barrett was born in Melbourne the son of Ward Barrett and his wife Beatrice Alice (nee Gillett) who married at St Peter's Church in Mornington, Victoria, Australia in 1892. His mother was born in Melbourne, Australia and her mother's maiden name was Leigh which may explain his first name. He had a brother John born in Sydney 1898.

Leigh used the name Leigh Ward, or Leigh Ward Barrett, as in the case of the Probate record.

By 1911 the family are living at 167 London Road, Kingston on Thames. His mother Beatrice is living with her two sons;  Leigh aged 14, and brother John Harry aged 12, as well as their cousin Frank Rapp, and a domestic servant. 

Leigh enlisted at St George's Hall in Liverpool as Leigh Ward when he joined the 17th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment with the service number 15663. 

He was billeted at Prescot Watch Factory from 14^th September 1914, he trained there and also at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 17th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. 

He was at some point transferred to the Machine Gun Corps and died of wounds on 29th March 1918, aged 21, whilst serving with the 233rd MGC Infantry as Lance Corporal 37652.

A Family notice was placed in The Age newspaper in Melbourne on 05th June 1918:

“Died of wounds on 29th March in France, after three and a half years’ service, Leigh Barrett, of King’s Liverpool Regiment, loved son of Beatrice Ward, late of “Sunnyside”, Mornington. - Inserted by his uncle and aunt, Harry and Eveline Gillett.”

Leigh served under the name of Leigh Ward as his CWGC headstone at Duisans British Cemetery shows him as L Ward as do his records of service.

The area around Duisans was occupied by Commonwealth forces from March 1916, but it was not until February 1917 that the site of this cemetery was selected for the 8th Casualty Clearing Station. The first burials took place in March and from the beginning of April the cemetery grew very quickly, with burials being made from the 8th Casualty Clearing Station (until April 1918), the 19th (until March 1918), and the 41st (until July 1917).

Most of the graves relate to the Battles of Arras in 1917, and the trench warfare that followed. From May to August 1918, the cemetery was used by divisions and smaller fighting units for burials from the front line. In the Autumn of 1918 the 23rd, 1st Canadian and 4th Canadian Clearing Stations remained at Duisans for two months, and the 7th was there from November 1918 to November 1920.

During May 1940 the cemetery was again involved in a Battle for Arras and the entrance shelter bears scars from this battle.

There are now 3,206 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated at Duisans British Cemetery. There are also 88 German war graves. Two British casualties, whose graves were obliterated by shell fire, are commemorated on special memorials. In Plot II, Row A, there are buried, side by side, two brothers, an Officer and a Private, who died of wounds at Duisans on the same day.

The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.

Leigh earned two medals, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal, which indicates that he did not serve overseas until at least 1916. 

Probate shows that Leigh's estate in the name Leigh Ward Barrett went to his mother. 

 

BARRETT Leigh Ward otherwise Ward Leigh of 167 London-road, Kingston upon Thames, lance corporal 3rd battalion M.G.C. died 29 March 1918 in France on active service. Administration (with Will) London 14 March 1919 to Beatrice Alice Ward Barrett (wife of Ward Barrett) Effects £381 13s 4d.    

His mother had returned to Australia by 1924 and died there in 1952, age 82. His brother, John, also returned to Australia.

We currently have no further information on Leigh Ward, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.