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William Royal Barnes - Information

William Royal Barnes, known as Roy, was born on the 20th of January 1893 in Bowral. When he was older, he was living in Sydney. Here, he met and married Mary Agnes Chevell in 1912. The following year they welcomed their first child, William Jr. who was born in Paddington. Roy and his family then moved to Milgate Lane in Campbelltown, where he began working for the railway as a guard and shunter. While living in Campbelltown, Roy and Mary Agnes welcomed their second son, Keith Allan, on the 10th of April 1916.

Feeling the itch to do his duty, Roy travelled to Sydney to enlist in the AIF on the 26th of November 1917. After training at the Show Ground Camp, Roy was naturally made a Sapper with the Railway Unit in Victoria. They left Melbourne on the 28th of February 1918 aboard the HMAT Nestor. Roy arrived at Liverpool, England in April, and was marched into the Australian Railway Operation Company at Longmoor Camp. On the 26th of May, his unit proceeded overseas to France from Folkestone. After being based at a Depot in Rouelles, Roy was taken on strength to the 2nd Australian Light Railway Operating Company.

Roy spent the war aiding the transportation of men and war material throughout France and Belgium. After the war, Roy left England bound for Australia on the Karmala on the 1st of July 1919. He returned to his family in Milgate Lane, Campbelltown in August. Many years later, Roy and Mary Agnes moved back to Sydney where they both passed away in 1969.