S76950
BARTON, Allan Francis
| Service Number: | 3012 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 27th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Kulpara, South Australia, Australia, date not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Adelaide High School |
| Occupation: | Motor Mechanic |
| Died: | Circumstances of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia |
| Memorials: | Adelaide High School Great War Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 12 Jan 1916: | Involvement 3012, 27th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Medic embarkation_ship_number: A7 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 12 Jan 1916: | Embarked 3012, 27th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Medic, Adelaide | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement Sergeant, 3012, 27th Infantry Battalion | |
| Date unknown: | Wounded 3012, 27th Infantry Battalion |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Adelaide High School
Allen Francis Barton was born in Kulpara, South Australia. He lived with his father Francis Benjamin Barton, and mother, Jessie Ann Barton on Bay Road Keswick. At the age of nineteen, he joined the AIF on the 26th July 1915.
Barton's starting rank was a Private, however, his service in the regiment was admirable and he was soon promoted to Acting Sergeant of the 7th reinforcements in the 27th Battalion on September 16th, 1915 while training in Adelaide.
Allen Francis Barton embarked from Adelaide, Australia on January 12th, 1916, to France aboard the HMAT A7 Medic. His long journey landed him in the front lines in the machine gun section inside the trenches, participating in the brutal Battle of Pozières. It was a highly significant battle for Australia as it marked one of the first engagements of Australian forces on the Western Front. During the battle, Barton’s rank was changed to Lance Corporal on July 21st.
Barton was wounded in action for the first time in France on August 4, 1916 with a gun shot wound to his head. He was taken by Field Ambulance to No 26 General Hospital in France and after treatment returned to his unit 25th August 1916. In September he was hospitalised with measles and was discharged to duty on 5th October and returned to his unit 5 days later. Only 2 days after rejoining the 27th Battalion he was wounded for the second time with a mild gunshot wound to the head which resulted in a fractured skull. This injury took him from France to England, for treatment of "Cerebral Concussion" on October 29th. He was admitted to Frensham Hill Military Hospital in Surrey, England on the 3rd of November, and progressed satisfactorily.
On the 25th of March 1917, he moved to Wareham, England and was transferred to the 70th battalion. On April 3rd he was reverted to the rank of Private. Then on June 24th he was sent to a school of instruction for Lewis guns, acquiring a valuable new skill. For these skills he was transferred to instructional duties at Tidworth and Sutton Veny, and later Handcott on the 7th of July. On October 14th 1917 he was sent back to Southampton France returning to the front lines, rejoining the 27th battalion on October 20th.
The battle on the Western front continued with constant stalemates and ruthless fighting. Barton’s efforts didn’t go unrecognised during the war as his bravery and leadership was notable and he was promoted to Sargent on the 2nd of November 1918. The war soon ended on November 11th however, it took months until Barton could return home to Australia. He was one of the lucky ones that survived the war and embarked Weymouth, England aboard the Sardinia on the 19th of April 1919. He was officially discharged on 27th of July 1919 when he returned to Australian land. Despite surviving the war, little is known about Sargent Barton’s life post-war.