Barker, W
(1873 - 1915)
Key Facts
DATE OF BIRTH:
24th November 1873
YEARS ATTENDED THE COLLEGE:
1889 - 1891
HOME ADDRESS WHEN AT THE COLLEGE:
1 Heather Bank, Dry Hill, Tonbridge
REGIMENT
4th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment
FINAL RANK:
Major
DATE OF DEATH:
15th August 1915
AGE AT DEATH:
41
WHERE HE DIED (or was wounded)
Aboard H.M.H.D. Gascon, off Gallipoli
LOCATION OF GRAVE OR MEMORIAL:
Helles Memorial. Panel 104 to 113
Major William Barker
William was born in Bombay, India, on November 24th 1873, the son of military doctor Frederick Barker and his wife, Kathleen. Before starting at Dulwich he had been at Elizabeth College, Guernsey, and after leaving he went on to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. In 1900 he joined the army and was gazetted as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Worcestershire Regiment. For the next decade he gradually rose through the ranks, being promoted to Lieutenant and then, in 1908, Captain, whilst serving across the Empire, in Bermuda, Barbados, Malta and Egypt. In 1910 he was promoted to Major while serving as Adjutant of the Standing Camp at Ranikhet in India.
It took time for William to become directly involved in the War, seeing his first significant action in June of 1915, during the assault on Gallipoli. On August 10th he was severely wounded whilst leading his men into action at Suvla Bay and died from wounds aboard the hospital ship H.M.H.D. Gascon five days later, on August 15th 1915.