| Regimental number | 3655 |
| Place of birth | Bendigo, Victoria |
| Other Names | William Gabriel |
| School | State School, Bendigo, Victoria |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Occupation | Labourer |
| Marital status | Married |
| Age at embarkation | 30 |
| Height | 5' 6.5" |
| Weight | 174 lbs |
| Next of kin | Wife, Mrs Elsie Barger, 403 High Street, Bendigo, Victoria |
| Previous military service | Nil |
| Enlistment date | |
| Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll | |
| Place of enlistment | Bendigo, Victoria |
| Rank on enlistment | Private |
| Unit name | 21st Battalion, 8th Reinforcement |
| AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/38/2 |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A64 Demosthenes on |
| Rank from Nominal Roll | Private |
| Unit from Nominal Roll | 60th Battalion |
| Fate | Killed in Action |
| Place of death or wounding | Fromelles, France |
| Date of death | |
| Age at death | 30 |
| Place of burial | No known grave |
| Commemoration details | V.C. Corner (Panel No 19), Australian Cemetery, Fromelles, France |
| Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 169 |
| Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Parents: Harry and Emma Barger; husband of Elsie J. Barger, 403 High Street, Bendigo, Victoria |
| Family/military connections | Brother: 3015 Pte Robert Charles BARGER, 8th Bn, returned to Australia, 20 December 1918. |
| Other details |
War service: Egypt, Western Front Taken on strength, 60th Bn, Tel el Kebir, 26 February 1916. Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 18 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, france, 29 June 1916. Reported missing, 19 July 1916. Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 4 August 1917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in action, 19 July 1916'. Statement, 3612 Pte E. STANLEY, 60th Bn, 2 May 1917: 'Barger was missing after the fighting on July 19th at Fleurbeix (sic). About the end of July I found him and handed in his disc to our Company Headquarter (sic). I knew him well.' Note on Red Cross File No 140906: 'No trace Germany. Cert. by Capt. Mills 10-10-19.' Statement on file, 3061 Pte W.T. SCANLAN, 60th Bn, 3 August 1917: 'I knew casualty well. Called 'Bill". He was my great friend. Casualty was killed just as he left the trench on the 19th July at Fleurbaix. He received three bullets through the chest. He dropped beside me and expired at once. I stopped for a moment and then went on.' Second statement, 3612 Pte E. STANLEY, 5th Machine Gun Bn, 2 March 1917: 'Barger was missing aftert the fighting on July 19th at Fleurbaix. About the end of July I found him and handed in his disc to our Coy. H.Q.' Third statement, 2494 Pte F. McCaGH, 60th Bn (patient, Harefield Park Hospital, England), 19 October 1916: 'I saw him lying dead in No Man's land (sic) at Fleurbaix on 19th July, as I was crawling back from the German trench on the morning of the 20th July. He was killed clean by a bullet and not disfigured or altered at all.' Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal |
| Sources | NAA: B2455, BARGER William
Red Cross File No 140906 |
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