SWAN, Albert William

Albert William Swan was the name this soldier used when he enlisted at Perth on 24 November 1916.  Over a year later, in March 1918, he made a Statutory Declaration stating that his real name was Albert William Barry.  He was born in Sydney in 1891 and was the son of Albert and Letitia Barry (nee Swan).  He grew up in Sydney and made a name for himself from an early age as a champion swimmer.   He broke the Australian record for 100 yards in 1913, which record remained unbroken until 1927.  His occupation at enlistment was agent.  He gave as his next of kin his wife, Olive, address unknown.  It seems his enlistment may have been a means of escape from an unhappy marriage.  His own address he stated as Berry Street, East Melbourne.  There is possibly another reason he enlisted under another name and in another state, his mother, Letitia, had been married previously with three sons.  Her husband and her three sons had died in tragic but separate circumstances.  It would be quite understandable if she did not want the risk of losing another son. 
He was unusually tall, 6ft 6ins and weighed 168lbs [76kg].  He had a fresh complexion, blue eyes and brown hair.  He was appointed to the 46th Battalion, 8th Reinforcements as a private and was sent to Blackboy Hill for training.  He embarked from Freemantle only a month later, on 29 December, aboard HMAT Persic.

He disembarked at Devonport on 3 March 1917 and was sent to the 12th Training Battalion at Codford.  He proceeded overseas on 4 June 1917 and was taken on strength of the 46th Batallion.  He was appointed Lance Corporal on 2 July 1917.  He was wounded in action on 17 July 1917 and was evacuated to England where he was admitted with a gunshot wound to his left leg, back and thighs. He was reported seriously ill.  His leg was amputated above the knee on 2 October 1917.  He was discharged for duty at Headquarters on 9 March 1918. By October 1918 he had been promoted to ER/Sergeant. He was granted leave with pay from 6 January 1919 to 6 April 1919 to attend law lectures at Middle Temple, Charing Cross. His leave was extended to allow him to attend the Council of Legal Education, 15 Old Square, Lincolns Inn.   He completed his course on 31 July 1919.  The Director of Education at the Department of Repatriation and Demobilization, AIF wrote, ‘Good experience gained on this course.  Sergt Barry paid close attention to his work and derived considerable benefit therefrom.’  The same day he proceeded overseas to France as Officer in Charge of British Troops in Paris.  He returned to Australia 28 August 1919 and was discharged 13 December 1919.

On returning home Albert qualified as a solicitor and by 1933 was Crown Prosecutor in the Crown Law Department of New South Wales.  He continued to swim competitively for many years.  He and Olive were divorced in 1921 and he married Estelle M Asprey in 1925.  A son was born in 1926 and Estelle died a week later.