Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Kenneth, known as Ken, was born in Adelaide to Beatrice Lillian and Stephen Eugene Barry on the 9th May 1921, (but added a year to his enlistment papers). He was the older of two sons, with a younger brother, Ronald. The family lived in the southern suburb where Ken first attended Goodwood School, then Mitcham. (The latter, Mitcham Primary School, now historically holds the 2/48th Battalion flag, under which Ken served as one of the first enlistees.)
Having left school, Ken travelled to Mulyungarie Station, to the north of Cockburn in South Australia and close to the NSW border. This was known for its extensive sheep and cattle farming, owing its development to Sir Thomas Elder and Peter Waite who extensively fenced and created huge dams in the area. For a fit, young man like Ken and his brother, work was plentiful. These same characteristics were also relevant to Ken’s father, Stephen who also worked on a predominantly wool Station, Tonga at Wilcannia in New South Wales.
These same characteristics were also in high demand with the outbreak of WWII. However, because of his age, 19, Ken needed the written approval of his parents to enlist. (He had claimed to be 20.) Patriotically, permission was given immediately, with his formal enlistment being on the 2nd July ’40. He was given the number SX7575 and allocated to the newly formed 2/48th Battalion. Ken’s early days were initially spent in the pavilions of the (now) Royal Adelaide Showgrounds, before the men travelled to Woodside in the Adelaide Hills for further intensive training.
Following pre-embarkation leave, Ken was soon boarding the Stratheden on the 7th November, arriving at Palestine in the Middle East on December 17th. With so many men together it was almost inevitable that conditions like mumps were shared, with Ken spending over a fortnight in hospital in January for two bouts of the infection.
He had just two months serving with his battalion which completed a few months training in Cyrenaica before going to Tobruk at the start of April 1941 where the dust, flies, heat, minimal water supplies and constant bombardment were quite a challenge to these fresh new enlistees.
Having been in the Middle East for just four months Ken was severely wounded in action on the 16th April 1941 aged 19 ½ fighting on the western perimeter of Tobruk.
John G Glenn in his book ‘Tobruk to Tarakan’ describes conditions that Ken faced as patrols went out to collect any useful war materials left from the mass arrest of Italian prisoners. A section of the Allied carriers attacked the flanks, herding the Italian prisoners together when ‘three mobile German anti-tank guns opened fire on the carriers and members of B Company, who had come out to assist. Two Italians were killed and several wounded. Private Ken Barry was badly wounded by a shell splinter and died shortly after. Private Barry was the battalion’s first “Killed In Action”. The total prisoners taken n the offensive included 26 officers and 777 other ranks.
In a very poignant letter to his parents, Captain Tucker later wrote a letter “I will never forget the fine spirit and bravery which he displayed on that evening.” He also shared that Ken’s last thoughts were of his mother and that he would have liked to see her before he went.
Initially Ken was buried in the Tobruk War Cemetery in a common grave with Carl Albert Bahnisch SX8418 from the Barossa. Carl, known as Albert, was killed in action on the 18th April by a mortar bomb which made a direct hit on the pit occupied by the stretcher bearers and a B Company driver, who were waiting to go forward to tend to the wounded. Ken was later moved to grave 161 and Albert in 162 in the same cemetery. He is now in Grave 3, K 1-13. Nearby are other soldiers from the 2/48th Battalion, Stanley Button SX8712, and George Dickinson, SX7649. His parents chose the timeless inscription ‘At the going down of the sun and in the morning we remember’ for his headstone.
Back home the May issue of the News carried Ken’s photo and the sad news that ‘Relatives of Pte. Kenneth A. Barry, 19, son of Mr. and Mrs. S. Barry, of Adelaide, have been notified that he was killed in action abroad. Pte Barry left Mulyungarie Station to join the A.I.F. and went abroad in November He was educated at Goodwood and Mitcham Schools.’
The Advertiser also carried the same news, adding that Ken’s ‘only brother is at present employed on a station in the north.’
The Chronicle at a similar time listed those killed in action, from the 2/48th battalion they were: 23 year old Pte. George H. Dickinson, SX7649, Peterborough; 27 year old Pte. Wally E. Dunn, SX6958, place not given; 20 year old Pte. Edward G. Hextall, SX8285, Auburn; 27 year old Pte. Frederick MacNamara, SX7418, Kingston; 35 year old Pte. Alan I. Riebe, SX9241, Inf., Waikerie; 21 year old Pte. Colin S. Tucker, SX8578, Redfern; 23 year old Pte. Lionel H. Van Den. Brink, SX7279, Richmond. Died of Wounds.—20 year old Pte. Ken A. Barry, SX7575, Adelaide. Many more were listed as being wounded.
Ken continued to be remembered in the years after his untimely death.
Advertiser Monday 13 April 1942, BARRY.—In loving memory of our loving son and brother. Kenneth, killed in action at Tobruk. April 16. 1941. aged 19 ½ He shall grow not old as we that are left grow old.- Age will not weary him. nor the years condemn At the going down of the sun and In the morning We will remember him. A loving smile, a happy face. A broken link we can never replace. —Inserted by his loving mother and father. BARRY. —In memory of my only loving brother. Ken. killed in action at Tobruk, April 16. 1941. aged 19 ½ . I'm lonely here without you, And sad is the weary way; Life is not the same, dear Ken, Since you were called away. —Remembered always by his brother Ron.
Advertiser Friday 16 April 1943, BARRY.—In memory of our loving son and brother, Ken, died Tobruk, April 16. 1941. Memories are all we have left; with so much to remind us how could we forget you.—Mother, father, brother Ron.
Advertiser Monday 17 April 1944, BARRY. —In loving, memory of our loving son and brother Ken died of wounds at Tobruk, April 16, 1941. Those who think of you today are those who loved you most—Mother and dad and brother Ron. Wagga.
Advertiser Monday 16 April 1945, BARRY.—Loving memory of our loving son and brother. Ken, died of wounds Tobruk, April 16. 1941. A face we love is missing. A voice we loved is still: A place is vacant in our home Which never can be filled. —Mother and dad and brother Ron (AIF N.G.).
Advertiser Tuesday 16 April 1946, BARRY.—In loving memory of our loving son Ken, died Tobruk (2/48 Batt.),April 16 1941. The years may dawn and fade away, but loving memories always stay. Inserted by his mother, dad and brother Ron (Loveday)
Ken’s younger brother, Ronald Howard later also enlisted in May ’43, just prior to his own 20th birthday as SX30308, having been part of the Militia as S50047. He began and ended his service at the Loveday Internment Camp at Renmark, serving also in Lae and Bouganville with the 6 Docks Company. He was finally discharged in June ’46.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.