BARKER, Harry


No.R/4482, Lance Corporal, Harry BARKER
Aged 22


13th Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps
Killed in Action on 28th September 1917


Harry Barker was born in Rougham (4th qtr 1895 Thingoe 4a:745) son of Walter and Jane BARKER (née CURRY)

1901 census...Aged 6, he was at Rushbrooke with his father Walter BARKER [41] horse keeper born Rougham; his mother Jane [43] born Rougham; brothers William [17] farm labourer and Thomas [12] both born Rushbrooke.

1911 census...Aged 16, a farm labourer, (now recorded as born Rushbrooke) he was at 12 Rushbrooke with his parents; half brother William CURRY, Gt Eastern Railways platelayer, now recorded as born Bury St.Edmunds and brother Thomas, farm labourer.

On the pension card his father was at 20 Rushbrooke. His mother had died late 1914.

His half brother William CURRY was killed in May 1917 see here


He enlisted in Caxton Hall, Middlesex on 12th September 1914, giving his age as 19 years, a waiter, born in Rushbrooke, Suffolk. Next of kin, his father Walter Barker at 12 Rushbrooke Village. He was 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighed 131 lbs, chest 32.75 to 35.75 inches, Church of England.
He went to France on 30th July 1915. Wounded 3 times, 31st Oct.1915 by bomb; 13th June 1916 Gunshot wound left arm; 19th June 1916, GSW left arm (self inlficted). He was court martialled for that but the Court found he had been cleaning the rifle without first removing the magazine, and he was found guilty of negligence. It was flesh wound in his left upper arm.
Army Form 5080 (living blood relatives) completed in 1919 by his father recorded mother deceased, brother Thomas [27] a Pte in 1st Garrison Bn Bedfordshire Regiment at Delhi Fort, India; half blood Charlie CURRY [4] at Rougham Green

The battalion war diary states that they were at Shrewsbury Forest and the night of nothing to report except that Bn HQ had moved back to BODMIN COPSE (28.I.19.d.5.7.)
His body was found at Paylis Farm, identified by his pay book, he was re-interred in Hooge Crater cemetery.






Photo CWGC

Harry Barker is buried in Hooge Crater Cemetery, Belgium 13:G:16

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details


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