FIRST NATIONAL RESERVIST KILLED.

CANADIAN SOLDIERS’ SYMPATHY WITH BURNLEY WIDOW.

When the war broke out large numbers of time-expired soldiers who had become members of the National Reserve rejoined the colours. The Burnley National Reservists in this respect did their duty loyally, and the first of who rallied to the colours to fall a victim is Pte. (7255) William Edward Barry, whose home was at 42, Leyland-road.

Pte. Barry was about 40 years of age and has a long connection with the Army. When eight years of age he went to a cadet school in Ireland, and at the age of 14 became a drummer boy in the 2nd East Lancashire Regiment, with which he subsequently went through the Chitral campaign and received two medals. During the Boer War his regiment remained in India, and some time after he was invalided home. 

As an old soldier he took a keen interest in the Burnley Battalion of the National Reserve and his old colleagues will keenly regret his sad end and deeply sympathize with the widow and her four children who now mourn their loss.

Information of Pte. Barry’s death came through Pte. M’Carthy, who lived in the same street and is now at the front. Writing on February 25th to his wife he stated : — “I regret to tell you that the chum (Bill Barry) who joined me the other day has just been killed by a sniper in the trenches. I hope you will break the news as gently as possible to his wife and family. They have my deepest sympathy. It was only the fourth day in the trenches for him. Coming out of our street and knowing one another, we have always been together since he joined the battalion. I cannot tell you how sorry I am to lose such a friend. He was drying his putties at a fire which we had in a bucket in the trench when he was hit. He was killed outright and suffered no pain.”

Three days later Pte. M’Carthy wrote to Mrs. Barry, expressing his deep sympathy with her and the children in their loss. “I cannot,” he added, “say how sorry I am to lose such a friend. We have only been together for nine days and it was his fourth day in the trenches. He was very careful in taking cover, and it looked impossible to bit his where he was. But it was God’s will. I used to say to him that if we had to be hit we would be, and nothing would stop it. Poor Bill has been buried round here with others of our regiment and he has a good grave. With the good will of our officers every man has a headstone erected over his grave, with his name and regiment inscribed upon it. The Canadians were also in the trenches with us at the time, and Bill was the first man they saw join the roll of honour. They (the Canadians) asked me to express their sympathy with his wife and family. I do so now and also tender the regret of my company at Bill’s death.”

Burnley News: Saturday, 20 March 1915

Pte. M’Carthy also sent back a photograph  of Mrs. Barry and four children which was in the unfortunate soldier’s possession when he was killed. Pte. Barry was an employee of Messrs. Smith Bros., contractors.

Gary Blakeley