240455 Mjr. John Barnwell DSO, MC, MID.British Army 6th Btn. Leinster Regiment from:Birr, Co Offaly John Barnwell was born near Birr, Co Offaly, in 1885. He joined the Leinster Regiment at Crinkle in 1902 and rose through the ranks. John served in India from 1911 to 1914. He returned to Crinkle to help train Kitchener's Army.
John fought in Gallipoli as part of the 29th Brigade from August to October 1915. He is mentioned in Bryan Cooper's book "The 10th (Irish) Division in Gallipoli" as a Lieutenant leading a night-time bayonet attack on Rhododendron Ridge on 9th August.
He served later in Salonika and Serbia. He joined the Machine Gun Corps on its formation and was appointed to command the 29th Company. He fought in Macedonia, Egypt and Palestine.
He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and Military Cross for engagements while with the Machine Gun Corps and was Mentioned in Dispatches three times.
After the War he returned to Birr to command the Depot Company. He retired from the army with the rank of Major, aged 37, when the Leinster Regiment was stood down in 1922 on the establishment of the Irish Free State. He died at his home in County Wexford in 1976, aged 91.
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