BARR Alexander McLean

Alexander McLean BARR was born at Allora in 1898 one of nine children born to parents John Anderson BARR and Margaret Ann nee STEVENSON (nee CUMMINGS-MCLEAN).
John Joseph 1893
Mary 1894
Janet 1896
Alexander McLean 1898
James Craig 1898
Ronald Richardson 1899
Maud Jessie 1901
Flora Bell 1904
Jose Margaret 1906

Alex attended school in Warwick, Qld.
He was eighteen years and five months old when he enlisted and took his medical at Toowoomba on 29th July 1915. He was a tall young man at 5 ft 7 inches who weighed 140 lbs with "fairish" complexion, grey eyes and dark hair. His religion stated as Presbyterian. He was assigned as private and allocated to 5th Australian Field Ambulance . He embarked aboard H.M.A.T A48 Seang Bee from Brisbane on 21 October 1915. He stepped off the ship at Alexandria for land training before embarking again in April 1916 for Marseilles. Over the next 3 months he was 'admonished' on three occasions for what now may seem minor infringements of the military code, namely late on parade, neglect of duty in leaving his tent in untidy condition and once for being absent without leave for approximately 8 hours. Until March 1918 he remained on the western front with 5th Field Ambulance before being sent to 4th Army Cookery School after which he went on leave. Around the time of Armistice he was in hospital with Pyrexia for a period of two weeks, there is no record of the known cause. In April 1919 following leave in Paris he marched out from Havre heading to Sutton Veny Camp in England to wait on demobilisation and a ship home. He sailed from England aboard H.M.A.T 'Aeneas' on 31 May 1919 and disembarked in Melbourne on 12 July 1919. He was discharged from A.IF on 5 September 1919. On his return to civilian life he applied for and was granted Lot 781 Beerburrum Soldier Settlement.
Alex married Christina Smith GILVEAR at Landsborough on 16 July 1927 and they had 2 children, Ray and Ronald Alexander.
He later worked as a linesman for the railway. He died at the age of 84 years in 1981. His twin brother James Craig also served with A.I.F # 3240

Story and related links added by Admin - RD
Photos courtesy of Kay Cockram.
Headshot - Alex Barr
Group - Jack, Alex, Jim Barr