Branch of Service

Army

Conflict

World War II (1939-1945)

Date of Enlistment

15/02/1940

Place of Enlistment

Canberra ACT

Gender

Male

Date of Birth

23/12/1918

Place of Birth

Queanbeyan NSW

Address (at enlistment)

c/- J. Lowe, Paterson Street, Ainslie, Canberra ACT

Occupation

Labourer

Next of Kin

Son of William Joseph and Florence Ethel Barnes, of 8 Board Street, Lidcombe NSW.

Burial Place

Port Moresby (Bomana) War Cemetery, Papua New Guinea: grave B7. C. 24. (Kokoda War Cemetery, grave E.B.13 on AWM Roll of Honour circular)

Service Number

N42976

Final Rank

Corporal

Final Unit

3 Infantry Battalion (AMF)

Died 17 October 1942 aged 23 years, killed in action in Papua.

AWM Roll of Honour, Canberra ACT: Panel 64.
Queanbeyan & District Honour Roll (corner of Farrer Place & Lowe Street, Queanbeyan)

Barnes enlisted at the Drill Hall in Acton on 15 February 1940 with 3 Militia Battalion, giving his address as Ainslie and his father's as Woden Station. At six feet two inches in height, Barnes was taller than most men.

He was appointed as a Lance Corporal in March 1942 and arrived in Port Moresby in May 1942. On 5 September 1942 the 3rd Battalion entered the Kokoda track and took part in the Australian defence at Ioribaiwa and Imita Ridge. After a bout of dysentery Barnes rejoined his unit in October when 3 Battalion had advanced along the Kokoda Trail as far as Templetons Crossing. It was at Templetons Crossing on 17 October 1942 that Barnes was killed. He was buried at Kokoda War Cemetery and later at Soputa War Cemetery R.C.4.

Australia. Department of Veterans' Affairs. World War 2 nominal roll. <http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/>
Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Debt of Honour Register. <http://www.cwgc.org/cwgcinternet/search/>
AWM Roll of Honour and Roll of Honour Circulars http://www.awm.gov.au/database/roh.asp
NAA RecordSearch
ACT Electoral roll - 1941
Colin Kennedy, 'Port Moresby to Gona Beach. 3rd Australian Infantry Battalion 1942', 1992
The Canberra Times - 16 October 1943