No.23621, Private, Thomas James BARKER
Aged 33
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Thomas James Barker was born in Bradfield St.George on 12th August 1883 (3rd qtr 1883 Thingoe 4a:597), son of Ebenezer and Rose Anne BARKER (née PETTITT).
Baptised on 16th September 1883 in Bradfield St.George.
1891 census...Aged 7, he was at Felsham Road, Bradfield St.George with his father Ebenezer BARKER [37] farm labourer born Rougham; his mother Rose Anne [30]; brother Ebenezer [8] and sister Dianah [sic] [6]. All except his father born in Bradfield St.George. 1901 census...Aged 17, a farm labourer, he was at Mill Road, Bradfield St.George with his parents; brothers Ebenezer (miller's carter), Spencer [7] and Wilfred [1] both born Bradfield St.George; sister Diana. 1911 census...Aged 28, he was at Gedding Road, Drinkstone, with his parents and brothers Charles (Spencer) (labourer) and Wilfred. His mother had lost 3 of her 6 children (Ebenezer, Diana May and Walter Francis (1896-1896). On the pension card his father was at Chapel Road, Drinkstone. His mother died in 1912. |
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He enlisted in Bury St.Edmunds, his number suggests around December 1915. He died at No.36 Field Ambulance, most likely wounded in the attack on the 3rd and brought in the following day.
The 7th Suffolks missed the slaughter of the 1st day of the Somme, 1st July, being in Reserve and later moving up to the support trenches. Arriving in the support trenches at 3.30 am on the 2nd, they spent the day there and prepared to attack Ovillers at 3:15am on 3rd. The War Diary :- At 3:15 am the Battalion made a frontal attack on Ovillers on a frontage of 200 yards; the disposition of the Battalion was as follows:-"D" Coy on the right, "C" Coy on left, supported by "B" Coy on the right, "A" Coy on the left. On the right of the Battalion was the 5th Royal Berks and on the left the 37th Brigade , the 36th Brigade being in reserve. Two companies of the Essex Regt. were in support to each Battalion, the Norfolks being in reserve. Zero was at 3:15 am, ten minutes before zero the leading waves advanced under cover of the bombardment and at the hour of zero the Battalion assaulted in eight successive waves. The first 4 waves (D and C Coys) penetrated the enemy's third line and portions of them into the village itself, but owing to the darkness touch was lost with succeeding waves and with the 5th Royal Berks on the right, so that the leading waves were not supported closely enough, thus allowing the Germans to get in between the waves and cut off the leading ones at the 3rd line of resistance, it was at the 3rd German line that the chief casualties occurred and the assault was brought to a standstill. The two companies of the Essex Regt moving up in support were too far behind and were practically annihilated by machine gun fire during their advance across the open. The casualties in the Battalion were 21 officers and 458 O.R. killed, wounded and missing, though some of these missing eventually regained the Battalion during the following night. CWGC records show 155 of the Battalion killed, of which 110 have no known grave. At least 36 of the dead are here on this website
The family appear to have lived at some time in Felsham as Thomas is also commemorated on the war memorial there. click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
