Reginald Leonard Barrett

Private, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment), 2nd Battalion

Service no. G/39709

Killed in action on 26 October 1917, aged 19

Born in Clapham, enlisted in Kingston-upon-Thames

CWGC: "Son of William John and Florence Ellen Barrett, of 22, Rodenhurst Rd., Clapham, London."

Remembered at Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium and at NatWest Bank, Clapham High Street

Born in 1898, his birth was registered in Wandsworth Oct-Dec 1898.

Information from the 1901 census

In the 1901 census, the family were living at 99 St Luke’s Road, Clapham (presumably now St Luke’s Avenue):

Father William J Barrett was 30 and a commercial clerk, born Stepney

Mother Florence E was 31, born Kennington

William A was 7, born Islington

Reggie L was 3, born Clapham

Florence was two months, born Clapham

Incidentally, Arthur Henderson the statesman lived at 13 Rodenhurst Road, while Reggie’s parents lived at number 22. Arthur Henderson’s son David was killed in the attack on High Wood in September 1916.

Information from the 1911 census

In 1911 Reginald Leonard Barrett was a 12-year-old schoolboy living with his parents, William John Barrett, 40, a travelling salesman (provisions) born in Stepney, east London, and Florence Barrett, 42, born in Kennington at 71 Hayter Road, Brixton Hill, London SW2, where the family occupied seven rooms. Reginald was one of four children, the others being William Barrett, 18, a drapery assistant; Florence Barrett, 10, at school; Grace Barrett, 8. The three younger children were born in Clapham, William in Finsbury Park.

NatWest Bank

Barrett is commemorated on a plaque on the wall inside the National Westminster Bank in Clapham High Street, formerly the National Provincial Bank.