Pedzisa mutsara unotevera: Barratt akaberekerwa muCalcutta uye akadzidza paBedford School. Akagamuchira basa rake rokutanga muRoyal Berkshire Regiment muna 1883. Akashanda muSudan panguva yeSuakin Expedition ya1885, uye akarwa muhondo yeHasheen uye muhondo yeTofrek. Muna 1890 akatora chikamu muZhob Valley Expedition muIndia, uye akarwa muWaziristan pakati pa1894 na1895. Akashanda muEast Africa muna 1896, muZanzibar neUganda pakati pa1897 na1898, muChina panguva yeBoxer Rebellion pakati pa1900 na1901, uye aivapo pa
Kubatsirwa kwePeking. Gare gare akashanda paNorth West Frontier muIndia. Akagadzwa saGeneral Officer Commanding we9th (Secunderabad) Chikamu uye saGeneral Officer Commanding we16th Indian Chikamu.