Page 241: Barnett, Ted

No date LINDSAY BOY AMONG THOSE MANNING FRENCH TRAINS

LIVES IN BOXCAR AND CLAIMS ALL COMFORTS OF HOME TO BE FOUND

Among many Canadians who are helping to keep supplies moving over French railways
  Former CNR and CPR employees are now serving with the armed forces in France are playing an important role in keeping vital war supplies rolling up to the front via the French railroad system which has fallen into the hands of the invading forces since D-Day.
  Sgt. Ted Barnett, of Lindsay, a former CNR employee and whose wife still resides here is mentioned in recent dispatches from the front as one of these Canadians that are doing such a splendid job of keeping French rolling stock rolling.
  An elaborate system of operations has been set up under the supervision of Major H. T. Alcorn of Melville, Sask. who has worked with railway troops of Great Britain and the United States to study the ins and out of the railway problems and get things under way.
  Included in the set-up is a main round-house, where locomotives are gone over and maintained by men like Ted Barnett, who have had experience back in Canada in this line. Blockhouses are set up at intervals along the right of way from which expert railway technicians watch the trains as they speed past and report any visible trouble to the next stopping point on the route.
  It is reported that these trains are hauling an unbelievable tonnage of supplies to the front and crewmen believe that the amount of work they are doing on these lines outstrips what they did back in peacetime Canada on the railroad.
  Ted Barnett is reported to be making his home in a boxcar, along with some of his mates and is quoted as saying that they have all – or nearly all – the comforts of home.
  A remarkable feature of the undertaking was the perseverance with which the men tackled the job before them. An example of this is found in the early stages of the game when water was poured into the boiler by the bucket system. Another instance was the turning of turn tables by hand when it was found that some of the motors had been damaged.
  An Uxbridge boy is also mentioned as being among those serving in this work. He is Spr. Ed Shell.