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2nd 3rd Machine Gun Battalion WW2 Australian army medals & badge WX6843 Barrett
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2nd/3rd Machine Gun Battalion WW2 Australian army medals & badge WX6843 Barrett

$345.00

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1939 – 45 Star, Africa Star, Defence and War Medals (1939 – 45), Australian Service Medal 1939 – 45 all impressed named WX6843 K.M. BARRETT. Court mounted for display with copies of service papers extracts.; Sweetheart badge comprising miniature rising sun badge affixed to tie clasp with 2/3rd M.G enameled colour patch suspended from badge.; Cloth shoulder title 2/3rd M.G.; original and copy studio portrait photograph (2). 
 
Corporal Kenneth Malcolm Barrett was born on 28/2/1919 in Collie, Western Australia, his father being T.H. Barrett who served in the 6th W.A. Contingent in the Boer War. At the outbreak of WW2, he was working as a garage assistant in Boyanup Western Australia and enlisted into the Militia on 7/1/1940, into ‘A’ Squadron 25th Light Horse Regiment (#462520) serving with them until joining the A.I.F. on 20/7/1940. Posted to the 2/3rd Machine Gun Battalion on 24/9/1940 he deployed to the Middle East on 16/4/1941 landing in May 1941. The battalion moved to Palestine, where it joined the 7th Division for the Syria campaign and were soon engaged in heavy fighting against the Vichy French. Although it was a short campaign, the machine-gunners saw extensive service. B Company supported the 25th Brigade, covering the attack on Fort Metulla on 10 June and participating in the fighting around and defence of Jezzine. In mid-June, A Company supported the 2/2nd Pioneer Battalion’s attack on Fort Merdjayoun, while D Company was attached to the 21st Brigade, which captured Said (Sidon) and Damour. C Company’s first action was at Quoneitra in support of British units. By the second week of July the campaign waoccupation force for the rest of the year. He returned to Australia with ‘B’ Company on 24/3/1942 and avoided the fate of the remainder of the battalion which was diverted to Java to face the Japanese. Those who had survived the fighting spent the rest of the war as prisoners for the next three years. One-hundred-and-thirty-nine men from the 2/3rd died while prisoners of the Japanese. He remained in Australia for the remainder of the war re-mustering as a clerk, being posted to various training units until discharging on 7/11/1945 in Perth.
s over, with the Vichy French surrounded and a cease fire coming into effect at midnight on 11 July. The machine-gunners remained in Syria as part of the 

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