John Cridlan Barrett

Lieutenant, 1/5th Battalion The Leicestershire Regiment

VC
Register No.
54 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
Rank
Lieutenant all Lieutenants →
Unit
1/5th Battalion The Leicestershire Regiment all Leicestershire Regiment VCs →
Date of action
24 September 1918 on this day → all of 1918 →
Conflict / campaign
First World War
London Gazette
14th December, 1918 on this day → all of 1918 →
Born
10th August 1897 at Leamington Spa, Warwickshire
Died
7th March 1977 at Leicester
Memorial / grave
not known

Digest of citation

On 24th September, 1918 at a Pontruet, France, during an attack, owing to the darkness and smoke barrage, Lieutenant Barrett found himself advancing towards a trench containing numerous machine-guns. He at once collected all available men and charged the nearest group of guns and in spite of being wounded, gained the trench, personally disposing of two machine-guns and inflicting many casualties. Notwithstanding a second wound he then climbed out of the trench to fix his position and locate the enemy, then ordered his men to cut their way back to the Battalion, which they did. He was again wounded, very seriously

From Alf Askin's research notes

Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.

BARRETT, John Cridlan. (Reg. No.54)

Lieutenant* 1/5th Battalion The Leicestershire Regiment.

London Gazetted on 14th December, 1918.

Born on 10th August 1897 at Leamington Spa, Warwickshire.

Died on 7th March 1977 at Leicester.

Memorial not known.

Digest of Citation reads: On 24th September, 1918 at a Pontruet, France, during an attack, owing to the darkness and smoke barrage, Lieutenant Barrett found himself advancing towards a trench containing numerous machine-guns. He at once collected all available men and charged the nearest group of guns and in spite of being wounded, gained the trench, personally disposing of two machine-guns and inflicting many casualties. Notwithstanding a second wound he then climbed out of the trench to fix his position and locate the enemy, then ordered his men to cut their way back to the Battalion, which they did. He was again wounded, very seriously Additional information. * Promoted Colonel. He also held the decoration TD (Not Identified)

Additional information

TD (Not Identified)

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