Military Medal: Private Wesley Hugh Barnes, 10th Field Ambulance, AIF

Military Medal (Geo V). Impressed around edge with recipient's details.

Born in Carlton, Victoria, 12448 Private Wesley Hugh Barnes, enlisted in the AIF on 10 March 1916 and after training was posted to the 10th Field Ambulance. He sailed from Melbourne in the troopship HMAT A54 Runic in June. Barnes joined his unit in France at the end of November. He was awarded the Military Medal for an action which took place during the third battle of Ypres. The recommendation for the award reads: 'On the morning of the 4th October 1917, at Advanced Regimental Aid Post (Right Sector) East of YPRES, with Private PASS, he went out under heavy shell fire to bring in a wounded man who was in a shell hole about half a mile from the Regimental Aid Post. In the afternoon he went with Regimental Stretcher Bearers up to the front line and assisted in rendering First Aid to wounded men, and also in bringing in men to the Regimental Aid Post. He made repeated trips under shell fire from Regimental Aid Post to FROST HOUSE Relay Post. He was in the forward area for 58 hours continuous, and set a great example by his bravery and devotion to duty.'.

Barnes received a gunshot wound to his left leg near Fouilly, France on 10 August 1918 and was evacuated to hospital in England. He left to return to Australia on Christmas Eve aboard the troopship Takada, where he acted as a masseur to injured men requiring physiotherapy. Barnes was discharged in March 1919.