BARNS, Leslie Mortimer
| Service Number: | 1990 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 25 August 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 3rd Light Horse Regiment |
| Born: | Colton, South Australia , 30 October 1893 |
| Home Town: | Colton, Elliston, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Prince Alfred College |
| Occupation: | Motor driver |
| Died: | Natural causes, Daw Park, South Australia, 3 February 1972, aged 78 years |
| Cemetery: |
Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia |
| Memorials: | Elliston War Memorial, South Australian Garden of Remembrance |
World War 1 Service
| 25 Aug 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1990, 3rd Light Horse Regiment | |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Feb 1916: | Involvement Private, 1990, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '1' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Warilda embarkation_ship_number: A69 public_note: '' | |
| 10 Feb 1916: | Embarked Private, 1990, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Warilda, Adelaide | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement Private, 1990 |
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Brother 3512 Private Arthur Inkster Barns of the 32nd Battalion AIF was killed in action 5 March 1917
Sons of William Alfred BARNS and Isabella INKSTER
Biography contributed by Emma PADREVITA
Leslie Mortimer Barns, enlisted in August 25th 1915. Barns was born on the 30th of October 1893 in a town called Colton near Elliston, South Australia. He was educated at Prince Alfred Collage and his occupation was a motor driver before embarking. Barns service number was 1990 and was ranked as a Private. His father’s name was William Alfred Barns and his mother's name Isabella Inkster. He enlisted at age 21 and his father was his nominated next of kin.
He was a tall man for the times. Average height back then was 5,8, he was 5,111/2. Barns weighed 187 lbs. he had a fresh complexion, blue eyes, and brown hair.
Barns embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A69, Warilda on the 10th of February 1916.
Barns was initially part of a Horse Artillery Brigade, which was a mobile artillery units that supported cavalry forces. Barns joined the strength of Horse Artillery Brigade, stationed at Heliopolis, Egypt. Heliopolis was a significant British military base during WW1, located near Cairo. Barns was involved in supporting operations in Egypt. Barns transferred to Tel-El-Kabir, which was a major British military camp in Egypt. This meant Barns was receiving specialized artillery training.
Barns was deployed to the Western Front (France) in November 1916 and was trasnferred to the Army Field Artillery Brigade and was taken on strength with the 3rd Field Artillery 24th January 1917. He was ranked as a Mustered Driver in March 1917. He spent time in hospital with a fever of unknown origin in October 1918 and was sent to England for treatment.
He returned to Australia in July 1919 and was discharged in December 1919.
After the war, Barns married Edna Laura in 1921. Barns died February 3rd 1972 at Daw Park, South Australia.
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