Photo: Geordie at War Project
In Gateshead East Cemetery is the family headstone which reads:
In
memory
of
Pte. J.S. Barrass
? . . . . . .
their beloved son of
Timothy & Susan Barrass
who was killed while doing his duty
Dec, 22nd 1916 aged 28 years.
Interred at Andover France
Also the above beloved
Timothy Barras
died April 13th 1972
aged 69 years
Also Susan
Beloved wife of the above
Timothy Barrass
died Dec. 22nd 1947 aged ?34 years.
Also Annie Linda
daughter of the above
(The rest of the inscription is obscured)
Brenda McMahon has submitted the following:
John Smith Barrass was born at Great Lumley, Durham in 1889. His parents were Timothy a blacksmith and Susan (nee Shields). He had a sister, Elizabeth. John was a cartman by trade.
He enlisted at Gateshead on 25 October 1915. He was 5’4” tall and was declared fit for service at home and away. He served with the Royal Army Medical Corps, 99th Field Ambulance (service no 71616). He embarked for France on 6 November 1916 from Southampton arriving at Rouen the following day. Within a week of his arrival he was sent into the field.
His headstone relates he was killed in action whilst doing his duty just over a month later.
His belongings were forwarded to his family including a disc, pipe, pouch, plate mirror, cigarette case, pair of scissors, belt, wallet, packet of safety razors blades and 2 handkerchiefs.
However his mother later wrote to the authorities asking for the return of other items which had been sent from home. She asked for his gold ring (which was a present from his uncle), his wrist watch & also the handle of his razor.
The authorities replied that with regard to the ring they were ‘unable to get same off his finger’. They also stated the other requested items were left in his pack which, along with a good many others, were lost at this particular time.
John Smith Barrass is remembered at Gateshead on G39.024
