BARBER, Albert

Albert Barber was the older brother of Henry Barber and enlisted some three months after his younger sibling. Like Henry, he had done some military training, two years with Senor Cadets, three years in the CMF and was serving with the Australian Medical Corps. He had attempted to enlist earlier, but been rejected because of a weak heart. At the time of enlistment, he was living with his parents, James and Jessie Barker, in Albert St., East Melbourne. After training, he embarked from Melbourne on the 'Osterley' for Plymouth, arriving there on 14 February, 1917. Once there, he was sent to the Machine Gun Training Centre at Grantham, before embarking for France, where he was taken on strength with the 3rd Machine Gun Battalion on 22 June, 1917. At that time, they were behind the lines at Ribemont in Picardy, before fighting at the Somme. On 4 October, he was wounded and sent to Rouen, where he was hospitalised, before rejoining his unit two weeks later, rejoining on 20 October. His health, however, was not good and in 1918, he was diagnosed with pleurisy five times over January and February, 1918. He was probably considered unfit for further front line work, because in April, he was transferred to England, classified B111, and in May appointed DP/Corporal on Permanent Cache, No. 2 Com. Depot. He was at AIF Depot UK in October, reverting in rank to Private, and was then discharged as an invalid on 15/4/1919, returning to Australia.