Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Described on enlisting as youngest son of 11 siblings; 26 years 7 months old; 5’ 7" tall;
126 lbs; medium complexion; brown eyes; brown hair and Methodist.

Next of kin in service:
Brother       #2249 Vivian Murry Barber, 3rd Light Horse
13/1/1916    Enlisted in Adelaide with Walter
26/4/1916    Embarked from Adelaide onboard the HMAT A59 Botanist with Vivian
                    in the 3rd Light Horse Regiment, 16th reinforcements
1/11/1917    killed in service

Brother       #2902 Clarence Barber
b. 20/1/1894, Cameron, SA
d. 21/8/1915, Royal Adelaide Hospital SA
                      – died of meningitis in service

Father  William BARBER
b. 26/4/1853  Hindmarsh, SA
d. 25/7/1925, North Adelaide Hospital, SA  (73 years)

m.        29/1/1978  Mother Emma PLUSH
            Emma   (b.4/3/1855 Adelaide - d.19/9/1922 Clare)
            married at Emma's parents residence of John Saddington Plush, Angas Park, SA

11 CHILDREN

(1)       Alice BARBER
            b. 22/1/1879, Lochiel, SA
            d. 25/2/1964, Lobethal, SA   (85 years) - buried in Lochiel Cemetery
m.        26/4/1905  to  Charles Henry THURSTON
m at     William & Emma Barber’s home Lochiel, SA
            Charles d. 10/1/1963, Woodside Hospital, SA (90 years)

(2)       Elsie Mary BARBER
            b. 5/8/1880, Lochiel, SA
            d. 24/10/1968, Prospect, SA  (89 years)
m.        25/4/1917  to  Aloysius William AHLE
m at     St Aloysius Church, Sevenhills, SA
            Aloysius d. 29/10/1951, Victor Harbor, SA  (80 years)

(3)       Cora BARBER
            b. 23/7/1882, Lochiel, SA
            d. 4/10/1933 Prospect, SA  (51 years)
m.        2/10/1930  to  Arundel THOMAS
m at     Methodist Parsonage, Alexander Street, Prospect, SA
            Arundel d. 3/6/1942, Prospect, SA  (81 years)

(4)       Vivian Murray BARBER  (service #2249)
            b. 24/9/1883, Lochiel, SA
            d. 1/11/1916  Kantara, Egypt (whilst on active service)
            Kantara Military Cemetery, Kantara, Egypt

(5)       Otto BARBER
            b. 22/11/1886, Lochiel, SA
            d. 28/12/1964, Lochiel, SA  (78 years), Lochiel Cemetery
m.        27/2/1913 to Alice May COLES
m at     Methodist Church, Penwortham, SA
            Alice d. 4/8/1957, Lochiel Cemetery

(6)       Myrtle BARBER
            b. 21/4/1887, Lochiel, SA
            d. 13/7/1971 Adelaide
m.        29/3/1911  to  Alfred Ernest PHILLIPS
m at     the residence of the bride's parents, Sevenhill, South Australia. 
            Alfred d. ___________

(7)       Harry BARBER  (twin to Walter)
            b. 28/6/1889, Cameron, SA
            d. 28/8/1967, Clare, SA  (78 years)
m.        Evelyn Gertrude SLUGGETT.
m at     19/11/1921  Methodist Church, Penworthan, SA
            Evelyn d. 3/7/1958, Clare Hospital, SA (68 years)

(8)       Walter (Jack) BARBER (service #2244) (twin to Harry)
            b. 28/6/1889, Cameron, SA
            d. 20/11/1872, Adelaide Hospital, SA (83 years), Lochiel Cemetery
m.        28/10/1920  to  Edith Jane COLES.
m at     William COLES home Penwortham, SA
            Edith d. 1/7/1956, Eastwood Hospital, SA  (77 years), Lochiel Cemetery

(9)       Malcolm Leslie BARBER
            b. 30/10/1891, Cameron, SA
            d. 17/6/1958, Clare Hospital, SA (66 years)
m.        7/7/1921 to Vida Gertrude GORDON.
m at     Presbyterian Church, Clare, SA
            Vida d. 12/10/1969, Clare Hospital, SA  (77 years)

(10)     Clarence BARBER  (service #2902)
            b. 20/1/1894, Cameron, SA
            d. 21/8/1915, Royal Adelaide Hospital SA
            – died of meningitis in service, Penwortham Methodist Cemetery

(11)     Fanny BARBER
           b. 14/4/1898, Cameron, SA
           d. _________
m.        19/4/1922  to  Arthur Roy CREASY
m at     Presbyterian Church, Clare, SA
            Arthur d. 27/12/1931, Clare Hospital, SA  (46 years)

13/1/1916        Enlisted  in Adelaide
                        as a Private in the E Coy, 2nd depot battalion
16-31/1/1916   Base Light Horse, Mitcham SA

1-29/2/1916     16th reinforcements 3rd Light Horse
1 – 15/3/1916  15th reinforcements 3rd Light Horse

26/4/1916        Embarked from Adelaide on the HMAT Botanist A59
                        as a Private in the  3rd Light Horse Regiment

Back in Egypt, the 3rd Light Horse joined the ANZAC Mounted Division.
Between January and May 1916, the regiment was deployed to protect the Nile valley from
bands of pro-Turkish Senussi Arabs.
On 18 May, as part of its parent brigade, it joined the forces defending the Suez Canal.

29/5/1916        Taken on strength into 3rd Light Horse Regiment

16/6/1916        Taken on strength from details of Romani Reinforcements

The 1st Light Horse Brigade played a significant role in turning back the Turkish advance on
the canal at the battle of Romani on 4 August. In ensuing days the regiments of the brigade
participated in the immediate follow-up of the defeated Turks, but were soon withdrawn to rest.

The 3rd Light Horse rejoined the Allied advance across the Sinai in November 1916 and was
subsequently involved in the fighting to secure the Turkish outposts on the Palestine frontier
- Maghdaba on 23 December 1916 and Rafa on 9 January 1917.

A stint of protective duty along the line of communications through the Sinai followed.

The 3rd’s next major engagement was the abortive second battle of Gaza on 19 April.

31/10/1917      Gun shot wound left forearm, face and neck
5/11/1917        Admitted to 14th Australian General Hospital - Abbassia

Gaza finally fell on 7 November, after a wide outflanking move via Beersheba, in which
the 1st Light Horse Brigade played a part.
With the capture of Gaza, the Turkish position in southern Palestine collapsed. The 3rd
Light Horse Regiment participated in the advance to Jaffa that followed, and was then
committed to operations to clear and occupy the west bank of the Jordan River.
It was involved in the Amman (24-27 February) and Es Salt (30 April-4 May) raids and the
repulse of a major German and Turkish attack on 14 July 1918.

5/3/1918          Transferred to Port Said Rest Camp

19/3/1918        Admitted to 14th Australian General Hospital - Abbassia
                        re old gun shot wound

12/7/1918        Embarked on HT Pt Darwin at Suez for return to Australia
17/7/1918        short stop in Cairo
18/8/1918        Disembarked into Port Darwin, Australia

Medals:
British War medal (12782); Victory medal (12616)

11/11/1918     Discharged from service
Total service:  2 years 303 days (overseas 2 years 115 days)

Married:          Edith Jane COLES  (28/10/1920)
                       at William Coles' home, Penwortham SA
lived at:           Penwortham, South Australia.
Edith died:      1/7/1956, Eastwood Hospital, SA  (77 years old)

20/11/1972     Walter passed away
                       in Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, SA
buried in:        Lochiel Public Cemetery, Lochiel, SA

Sourced and submitted by Julianne T Ryan.  1/11/2014.  Lest we forget.