WORLD WAR I
Bingham War Memorial
John Leonard Barratt – service record
Image 1 Attestation
Barratt enlisted with the Sherwood Foresters at Newark on 26th November 1915 and was give the service number 33641 later crossed out and replaced with T4627. In the event, the first number seems to have been used on most documents. The certificate of the approving officer was not signed until 26th January 1916, when the regiment was at Derry, in Ireland. Barratt’s period of service coincided with the Irish nationalists’ Easter Rising.
He declared his age as 21 years and 22 days, his occupation as hairdresser and his address as Chapel Lane Bingham.
Image 2 Descriptive report
Height: 5 feet 5½ inches; Girth: 34 inches with expansion of 2 inches.
His religion was C of E.
He gave as his next of kin as his mother, Ruth Barratt of Chapel lane, Bingham. His father was listed on the 1911 census so had presumably died since then.
The military history section shows he served on the home front from 21/1/16 to 14/6/16.
Images 3, 4 and 5 Medical History
He was examined on 26th November and his height was now given as 5 feet 6½ inches! He weighed 110 pounds (7st 2lbs). Girth was now 32 inches with expansion of 2”. His physical development was rated as “fair, below standard”. Vision was 6/6 in for both eyes; his teeth were fair but required attention. The form notes that he became ineffective by discharge from the 2/8th Sherwood Foresters on 14th June 1916.
He was hospitalised in Watford
for “observation” from 3/2/16 until 27/3/16. No diagnosis or symptoms
were recorded.
On 2nd April 1916 he was examined by the “Travelling Medical Board”
and judged to be “Category E”.
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Image 6 Statement of the Services
His record of postings shows:
Corps |
Battn | Movement | Rank | Date |
| General service | Attested |
Pte |
26.11.15 |
|
General service |
To Army reserve | Pte | 27.11.15 | |
| Gen res | D[epot] | Mobilized | Pte | 25-1-16 |
| Sherwood Foresters | 7/8th | Posted | Pte | 26-1-16 |
| Sherwood Foresters | 7/8t | Discharged under para 392 Kings Regulations |
Pte | 14-6-16 |
Images 7 and 8 Discharge Papers
Barratt was discharged at Hare Park Camp, the Curragh, Ireland on June 14th 1916. The camp also served as an internment camp in which to keep Irish rebel prisoners.
He was discharged because of “being no longer physically fit for war
service (King’s regulations Para 392 sec III”). His military character
was said to be “good” and his commanding officer, Lt Col Oates wrote
“This man is a good barber” [!] “He is steady, punctual and
reliable”.
The paper notes that he had received the Home medal for his service from 25/1/16
until 14/6/16.
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Image 9 Gratuity
On 6th September 1917 a form was submitted to claim a gratuity for Barratt. He was awarded £15. He was judged physically unfit with no disability. His spell in hospital was noted, his condition was judged as “not a result of or aggravated by Military Service” and it was “not stated whether permanent”.
