DEATH OF SERGEANT-MAJOR BARRETT.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 11086, 3 October 1901, Page 5

DEATH OF SERGEANT-MAJOR BARRETT.

(SPECIAL TO "THE PRESS.-') . GREYMOUTH, October 2. Sergeant-Major William Barrett died at eleven o'clock this morning, after a short illness. Sergeant-Major Barrett was for manyyears the principal drill 'instructor in North Canterbury. From. 188btill 1899 he,was the sole instructor of infantry in the district, and during that "time thousands of recruits, passed through bis liands. .Hie Imperial career was a most exciting one, as he was with bis regiment, the Prince of Wales's Own Yorkshires, through, a number of the ware in iDdia as well as the Maori war. He on wVcral occasions received special ccraunerdntion from hie commanding officers for gallantry in action, especially during the assaults on some of the Maori palus. He wae for thirty-three years a member of tbe olcL 14th, and during tbat time he Tose to the rank of EegimtntcJ Sergeaut-Major. On leaving th'e regiment to tske up military duties in New Zealand, a most extraordinary display was made by t'he non-corhmiß-sioned officers and men at Sialikote, India, where this regiment was stationed, the . Horses being taken from the carriage in which Sergeant-Major and Mrs Barrett were taken to the station, and the carriage drawn by the men. He received •■ many valuable testimonials from bis officers, and the whole regiment subscribed to. a very, handsome'testimonial for him. .He leaves a family cf four, cf whom tho eldest is in India, the three youngest, two girls and a boy, residing in Greymoutb.