BARRATT (Barrett), George

George Barrett was the son of Alfred Barrett of 13 Tower Street. He enlisted in the Guards and joined the 4th Battalion of the Grenadiers. They had been involved at Loos in 1915 and in the Ypres Salient in early 1916. They came into the Somme area in July 1916 but were not in the front line until the third phase of the long battle. The advance had at last reached the German third line at Morval and Lesboeufs and a major attack was planned for the 15th September. In preparation the 4th Grenadiers were ordered to clear a major defensive work, the 'Quadrilateral', on the Morval-Ginchy road. They moved up on the 8th September and found the enemy's machine guns difficult to counter. George Barrett was seriously wounded and sent to the base hospital at Rouen. The Guards Division's attack of the 15th September was frustrated but that of the 25th September was completely successful. However, Private George Barrett had died of his wounds on the 14th September He was 20 years of age and is buried in St Sever British Cemetery (B 21 40) and commemorated on the Dudley Memorial.