2/7th Battalion, Essex Regiment
James Barrett’s story is similar to many who are buried in Gloucestershire: he was a young conscript into the Army who fell ill and died whilst undergoing basic training. James Barrett was born at Hungerford, Berkshire in 1896
His parents were George Barrett (1860-1932) and his wife Elizabeth (née Dennis; 1862-1924). He had two siblings, William George (born 1891) and Edith (1902); also the 1911 Census indicates that a further sibling had previously died.
At the time of the 1901 Census the family was living in the Cotswold village of Southrop, located to the east of Cirencester, where George Barrett was employed as a domestic groom.
Ten year on, at the time of the 1911 Census the family were still living in Southrop, where James at the age of 15, was a plough boy.
In late 1915 James married Mary (May) Hale at Northleach, who about three years older than him and on 21 September 1916 they had a son, Frank James.
Unfortunately, as is so often the case, no Army Service record has survived for James.
Almost certainly he attested for military service, under ‘Lord Derby’s Scheme’; probably following his marriage and was mobilised around May or June 1916. His posting was to the 2/7th Battalion of the Essex Regiment. This was a Territorial Force (TF) battalion, which had been formed in November 1914 and had been located at Walthamstow, Peterborough and Thetford, before moving to Harrogate in July 1916.
It was populated with ‘Derby Scheme’ men and originally, being part of 206 Brigade, 69th (East Anglian) Division, it was designated for service abroad but this never happened and the unit was to serve in the UK, as part of Home Defence and was used to train men up for front line service.
It appears that while undergoing training Private Barrett, fell ill with appendicitis and was admitted to Harrogate Infirmary, where he died on 14 November 1916, aged 21.
A recently released Pension Record Card notes that the cause of death was appendicitis and an abscess.
His widow Mary re-married in 1921 at Northleach to a William J Hall and she continued to receive an allowance for her and James’ son that would have continued until he was 16 years of age. At the time of compilation of the CWGC Register, James’ parents were living at Highfield Cottage, Chesterton, Cirencester.
Private James Barrett was buried in Cirencester (Chesterton) Cemetery on 18 November 1916, where a standard CWGC headstone marks his grave: he is commemorated on the Cirencester War Memorial.