Barrett was a sawyer. "He had been commended for bravery and meritorious conduct on four occasions prior to the gallant act which earned him the distinction. During the terrible fighting at Hooge in July 1915, Barrett and his sergeant, named McDonald, offered themselves as volunteer bomb-throwers, and under the heavy fire reached the trenches that were being stormed, climbed over the parapet, and crawled to less than 50 yards of the German trenches. Barrett threw 18 bombs on one visit, being exposed to a heavy artillery and rifle fire all the time."