Nathaniel Dunbar Barton CBE MB ChM (1894 - 1985)

The Great War

Prior to the outbreak of the First World War, Nat had been a Second Lieutenant in the 34th Battalion of the Citizen Military Forces. After volunteering for the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) he departed Sydney aboard HMAT Ajana on 19th December 1914 and arrived in Egypt in early February 1915. ^[3] After joining the fighting at Gallipoli in early May 1915 with the 7th Light Horse Regiment, he was promoted to Lieutenant. He was recommended for an award following the Battle of Lone Pine. ^[4] He was promoted to Captain on 10th October 1915. For exceptional service at Quinn's Post on 27th November Nat was once more recommended for an award. ^[5] In 1916 and 1917, he continued to serve with the 7th Light Horse across the Middle East, including in the battle of Romani. He was promoted to Major on 8th September 1916 and was recommended for an award following an engagement with the enemy in August 1917. ^[6] In November 1917, Nat occupied Hill 330 Auja, at Tel-el-Negily. With nineteen men, 15 rifles and two Hotchkiss guns (which both jammed), he defended under intense attack, capturing four officers and 194 men with four machineguns, rifles and bombs.^[7] In mid-1918 Barton received a Mention in Despatches (equivalent to today's Commendation for Gallantry) for the action. ^[8]

Nat was wounded at Gallipoli on 10th July 1915, requiring evacuation to Egypt, and again on 27th March 1918 at Amman. The later resulted in his being rehabiliated to Australia 12th July 1918. ^[9] A Red Cross armband, with Nat's name inscribed inside and dated June 1918, would infer that he was transferred to the Australian Army Medical Corps for his repatriation. ^[10] Further research is warranted here. Two of Nat's brothers, Denis and Brian (killed in action December 1917) also served in the Light Horse. For his war service he was awarded the 1914-1915 Star, British War Medala and Victory Medal.

Major Nathaniel Dunbar Barton

Between wars

After returning to Australia, Nat completed his Bachelor of Medicine (MB) and Master of Surgery (ChM), was registered as a medical doctor in 1923 and began working in Parkes, New South Wales. ^[2]

Nat married Mary Mort, a granddaughter of pastoralist and businessman, Henry Mort, on 8th July 1925 in St John's Church of England (Anglican Church), Dalinghurst, New South Wales. ^[11]

About 1934, Nat was awarded the Efficiency Decoration (ED) for twenty years service as an officer in the Citizens Military Force. He was privileged to be selected as a member of the military contingent which travelled to England for the coronation of King George VI in 1937.

AAMC Red Cross armband of N D Barton

Second World War

Nat was commanding officer of the militia 6th Light Horse Regiment at the outbreak of the Second World War.

On 1st November 1940 he was commissioned into the Second Australian Imperial Force (AIF) and appointed commanding officer of the new 2/12th Field Ambulance as Lieutenant Colonel. ^[12] The 2/12th trained in the Northern Territory, providing medical support for the 23rd Brigade, 8th Division; participated in the construction of five small medical hospitals; and assisted sappers and pioneer assault units, earning the unit the nickname "2/12th Pioneers". One hundred members of the 2/12th were captured by the Japanese at Ambon and Timor in February 1942, whilst 192 members were aboard the hospital ship Centaur en route to Papua when it was criminally torpedoed and sunk by a Japanese submarine before dawn on 14th May 1943. On that occasion only 32 survived the attack. ^[13] Nat was later commanding officer of the 2/9th Australian General Hospital at Adelaide, South Australia in 1944, and then Ambon Island, Netherlands East Indies (Indonesia) at the end of the war to assist in the rehabilitation of prisoners-of-war. ^[14] Nathaniel was demobilised from the AIF on 20th February 1946. He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in July 1945 for 'gallant and distinguished conduct in the Ramu Valley'. ^[15][16]

For his war service he was awarded the 1939-1945 Star, Pacific Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-1945 and Australia Service Medal 1939-1945. After the war, Nat returned to Australia and settled back in his home town of Wellington, where he established a successful private medical practice. ^[2]

Sadly widowered since 1969, Nat passed away, aged 91 years, on 25th August 1985 at Wellington and is buried in Wellington Cemetery. ^[17][18]

Honours and awards

• Commander of the Order of the British Empire, 1945
• Mentioned in Despatches, 1918
• 1914-1915 Star
• British War Medal
• Victory Medal
• 1939-1945 Star
• Pacific Star
• Defence Medal
• War Medal 1939-1945
• Australia Service Medal 1939-1945
• Efficiency Decoration