BARKER, William Claude
| Service Number: | 6315 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 5 August 1915, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 4th Field Artillery Brigade |
| Born: | Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia , 1891 |
| Home Town: | Warrnambool, Warrnambool, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Warrnambool State School, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Killed in action, France, 25 May 1917 |
| Cemetery: |
Vaulx Hill Cemetery Plot III, Row B, Grave 1. |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Warrnambool Soldiers' Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 5 Aug 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 8 Nov 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, HMAT A18 Wiltshire from Melbourne | |
| 18 Nov 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Sergeant, 6315, 4th Field Artillery Brigade, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '3' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Wiltshire embarkation_ship_number: A18 public_note: '' | |
| 18 Nov 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Sergeant, 6315, 4th Field Artillery Brigade, HMAT Wiltshire, Melbourne |
Help us honour William Claude Barker's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography
Australian Field Artillery
4 Brigade
Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Son of William and Martha Barker of Western Reserve, Warrnambool, Victoria
Biography contributed by Stephen Brooks
William Claude Barker was the son of William and Martha Barker of Warrnambool, Victoria. He was one of three brothers who went to war, only one returned.
William Barker, the father, was born at Cambridgeshire, England. He came to Australia with his parents in 1855, landing at Portland, Victoria, where they remained for about 12 months, afterwards moving to Port Fairy. After residing there for about 8 years they moved to Warrnambool, and Mr. Barker continued to reside at Warrnambool until his death in March 1917. He was a tanner by trade and he followed his calling until about 1915.
William Claude Barker died near Lagnicourt during May 1917, probably the victim of German counter battery fire, two months after his father passed away in Warrnambool. He was initially buried in Lagnicourt Australian Cemetery but his remains were moved to Vaulx Hill Cemetery in 1920.
William Claude’s much younger brother, 64796 Pte. Stanley John Redvers Barker died of pneumonia a few days after arriving in Egypt, after falling ill on the voyage, tragically, three weeks after an Armistice had been declared. He was still just 18 years of age.
His other younger brother, 6004 Driver Cyril Barker also served in the 4th Field Artillery Brigade, and returned to Australia during 1919.
Click images to start slideshow.