Reginald was the son of Henry John Barrett and his wife Emma Harrod. Reginald was born in Roachford, Essex. With the death of Reginald, his parents of 150 Shakespear Road, Gillingham had sustained the second shock of losing a child through a tragic accident. In 1920, another son, Harry J Barrett at the age of 2 had died in a horrific scalding accident. Reginald was the oldest of the three children, just 13 years old when he died. His parents were left with a six year old son,Kenneth Alan Barrett .
Sadly Kenneth would also perish at a young age. He became a casualty of WW2 on April 16, 1943 at the age of 20. Kenneth was a Flying Officer (Bomb Aimer) with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 158 sqdn.
Mr. Barrett was a wardmaster in the Royal Navy and at the time of Reginald's death was on night duty in the Naval hospital located close to Gillingham Park. He was called to the park and during the search in the darkness had the horror of discovering his son's body amongst the debris.
Reginald had only joined the Medway Association only five weeks before his death. He had always been a boy full of zest and was keen on sports. He was a pupil at the Country School.
On July 11 1929 the local fire brigade held a fire demonstration during the annual fair. During the afternoon two of the men dressed up as a "bride" and "groom" and went around collecting contributions for the local hospital. In the evening they headed to a 40 foot structure made out of wood and canvas. This house was filled with "guests" of the wedding - local firemen, naval cadets and sea scouts. The plan was to light a fire in the house to make it appear that the house was on fire. The "guests" would cry for help and the Gillingham Fire Brigade would "rescue" them. Somehow this fire became real trapping the people in the structure.
All 15 men and boys that participated in this demonstration died including Reginald Barrett. Reginald was 13 when he died. The stone of Leslie George Neale wrongfully rests on his grave.
The men and boys who died are:
Scout Reginald Henry Lewis Barrett
Cadet David Stanley Brunning
Cadet Eric Edward Cheesman
Leslie George Neale
Cadet Leonard Charles Searles
Cadet Ivor Douglas Weston Sinden
William Herbert Jack Spinks
Robert Dennis Usher
Scout Leonard Gordon Winn
Fireman Francis Bull Cokayne
Ronald Royal George Mitchell
Fireman Albert Joseph Nicholls
Petty Officer John Thomas Nutton
Fireman Arthur John Tabrett
Frederick Arthur Worrall
More detailed information about this incident can be found at:
http://firemanswedding.weebly.com/
Sadly Kenneth would also perish at a young age. He became a casualty of WW2 on April 16, 1943 at the age of 20. Kenneth was a Flying Officer (Bomb Aimer) with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 158 sqdn.
Mr. Barrett was a wardmaster in the Royal Navy and at the time of Reginald's death was on night duty in the Naval hospital located close to Gillingham Park. He was called to the park and during the search in the darkness had the horror of discovering his son's body amongst the debris.
Reginald had only joined the Medway Association only five weeks before his death. He had always been a boy full of zest and was keen on sports. He was a pupil at the Country School.
On July 11 1929 the local fire brigade held a fire demonstration during the annual fair. During the afternoon two of the men dressed up as a "bride" and "groom" and went around collecting contributions for the local hospital. In the evening they headed to a 40 foot structure made out of wood and canvas. This house was filled with "guests" of the wedding - local firemen, naval cadets and sea scouts. The plan was to light a fire in the house to make it appear that the house was on fire. The "guests" would cry for help and the Gillingham Fire Brigade would "rescue" them. Somehow this fire became real trapping the people in the structure.
All 15 men and boys that participated in this demonstration died including Reginald Barrett. Reginald was 13 when he died. The stone of Leslie George Neale wrongfully rests on his grave.
The men and boys who died are:
Scout Reginald Henry Lewis Barrett
Cadet David Stanley Brunning
Cadet Eric Edward Cheesman
Leslie George Neale
Cadet Leonard Charles Searles
Cadet Ivor Douglas Weston Sinden
William Herbert Jack Spinks
Robert Dennis Usher
Scout Leonard Gordon Winn
Fireman Francis Bull Cokayne
Ronald Royal George Mitchell
Fireman Albert Joseph Nicholls
Petty Officer John Thomas Nutton
Fireman Arthur John Tabrett
Frederick Arthur Worrall
More detailed information about this incident can be found at:
http://firemanswedding.weebly.com/
Reginald was the son of Henry John Barrett and his wife Emma Harrod. Reginald was born in Roachford, Essex. With the death of Reginald, his parents of 150 Shakespear Road, Gillingham had sustained the second shock of losing a child through a tragic accident. In 1920, another son, Harry J Barrett at the age of 2 had died in a horrific scalding accident. Reginald was the oldest of the three children, just 13 years old when he died. His parents were left with a six year old son,Kenneth Alan Barrett .
Sadly Kenneth would also perish at a young age. He became a casualty of WW2 on April 16, 1943 at the age of 20. Kenneth was a Flying Officer (Bomb Aimer) with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 158 sqdn.
Mr. Barrett was a wardmaster in the Royal Navy and at the time of Reginald's death was on night duty in the Naval hospital located close to Gillingham Park. He was called to the park and during the search in the darkness had the horror of discovering his son's body amongst the debris.
Reginald had only joined the Medway Association only five weeks before his death. He had always been a boy full of zest and was keen on sports. He was a pupil at the Country School.
On July 11 1929 the local fire brigade held a fire demonstration during the annual fair. During the afternoon two of the men dressed up as a "bride" and "groom" and went around collecting contributions for the local hospital. In the evening they headed to a 40 foot structure made out of wood and canvas. This house was filled with "guests" of the wedding - local firemen, naval cadets and sea scouts. The plan was to light a fire in the house to make it appear that the house was on fire. The "guests" would cry for help and the Gillingham Fire Brigade would "rescue" them. Somehow this fire became real trapping the people in the structure.
All 15 men and boys that participated in this demonstration died including Reginald Barrett. Reginald was 13 when he died. The stone of Leslie George Neale wrongfully rests on his grave.
The men and boys who died are:
Scout Reginald Henry Lewis Barrett
Cadet David Stanley Brunning
Cadet Eric Edward Cheesman
Leslie George Neale
Cadet Leonard Charles Searles
Cadet Ivor Douglas Weston Sinden
William Herbert Jack Spinks
Robert Dennis Usher
Scout Leonard Gordon Winn
Fireman Francis Bull Cokayne
Ronald Royal George Mitchell
Fireman Albert Joseph Nicholls
Petty Officer John Thomas Nutton
Fireman Arthur John Tabrett
Frederick Arthur Worrall
More detailed information about this incident can be found at:
http://firemanswedding.weebly.com/
Sadly Kenneth would also perish at a young age. He became a casualty of WW2 on April 16, 1943 at the age of 20. Kenneth was a Flying Officer (Bomb Aimer) with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 158 sqdn.
Mr. Barrett was a wardmaster in the Royal Navy and at the time of Reginald's death was on night duty in the Naval hospital located close to Gillingham Park. He was called to the park and during the search in the darkness had the horror of discovering his son's body amongst the debris.
Reginald had only joined the Medway Association only five weeks before his death. He had always been a boy full of zest and was keen on sports. He was a pupil at the Country School.
On July 11 1929 the local fire brigade held a fire demonstration during the annual fair. During the afternoon two of the men dressed up as a "bride" and "groom" and went around collecting contributions for the local hospital. In the evening they headed to a 40 foot structure made out of wood and canvas. This house was filled with "guests" of the wedding - local firemen, naval cadets and sea scouts. The plan was to light a fire in the house to make it appear that the house was on fire. The "guests" would cry for help and the Gillingham Fire Brigade would "rescue" them. Somehow this fire became real trapping the people in the structure.
All 15 men and boys that participated in this demonstration died including Reginald Barrett. Reginald was 13 when he died. The stone of Leslie George Neale wrongfully rests on his grave.
The men and boys who died are:
Scout Reginald Henry Lewis Barrett
Cadet David Stanley Brunning
Cadet Eric Edward Cheesman
Leslie George Neale
Cadet Leonard Charles Searles
Cadet Ivor Douglas Weston Sinden
William Herbert Jack Spinks
Robert Dennis Usher
Scout Leonard Gordon Winn
Fireman Francis Bull Cokayne
Ronald Royal George Mitchell
Fireman Albert Joseph Nicholls
Petty Officer John Thomas Nutton
Fireman Arthur John Tabrett
Frederick Arthur Worrall
More detailed information about this incident can be found at:
http://firemanswedding.weebly.com/
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