Peter Barrett

This story is shared by the Trust with kind permission from Mavis Williams, Researcher. Gravestone photo source: Richard Edgar, FindaGrave

Peter Barrett was born on the 8th December 1924, in the Registration District of Bicester. Oxfordshire. He was the second youngest child of Robert Maynard and Emily Jane Barrett (née Brooks) who had married in the Parish Church of Bicester on the 19th of September 1908. We see the young couple on the 1911 census living at 6 Bell Lane, Bicester. They would have 7 children in total.

Peter's father had a short period of service in the RAF during the First World War, enlisting in June 1918 when aged 44. He was discharged in 1920. The family lived for a while at 5 Albert Terrace, Bicester before being recorded as living at 191 Highfield, Bicester in the 1939 Register which was taken on the 29th of September 1939. The Register records that Peter was working as a Apprentice to Bakery.

Sadly, I have no other information on Peter Barrett, neither his early or teen years but he was to find himself fighting on D-Day and laid down his life for our freedom. He served with the 7th Battalion, Parachute Regiment on D-Day and he found himself in the middle of the greatest struggle for our survival. They took off from RAF Fairford in the evening of 5 June 1944 as part of Operation Tonga (6th Airborne Division's parachute and glider assault in the early hours of D-Day).

The British Army Casualty List tells us that he was killed in action on 6th June 1944. He now lies in Ranville Cemetery. Peter wasn't married and probate would be granted to his mother in 1948 as his father had died in 1939.

British Normandy Memorial - Additional Information

Unfortunately, we do not have a photo of Peter Barrett. If you are aware of one, or you are related to Peter, we would love to hear from you so we can add to his story.