Pte
Arthur Barker
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 06/08/1898 |
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Place of birth: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
General information
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Profession: Carter |
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Religion: Church of England |
Army information
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Country: Australia |
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Force: Australian Imperial Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 547 |
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Enlistment date: 08/05/1916 |
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Enlistment place: Cairns, Queensland, Australia |
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Units: — Australian Machine Gun Corps, 7th Coy. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 04/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Thames Wood, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 19 |
Cemetery
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Tyne Cot Cemetery Plot: XXXIII Row: D Grave: 4 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 3
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place | ||
| #3 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Arthur Barker was born on 6 August 1898 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. He was the son of Henry and Henrietta Barker. Before enlisting, he worked as a carter. On 8 May 1916, he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in Cairns, Queensland. He was assigned to the 7th Company, Australian Machine Gun Corps.
Arthur Barker was killed in action at the age of 19 on 4 October during the Battle of Broodseinde, part of the Battle of Passchendaele.
On the night of 3 to 4 October, the company moved out from the Railway Dugouts towards the frontline on the eastern edge of Zonnebeke. Several machine gun sections were to attack at 5:25 a.m. in coordination with the 7th Australian Infantry Brigade. The machine gun sections, each with four machine guns, were divided as follows: no. 1 section with the 28th Battalion, no. 2 section with the 25th Battalion, no. 3 section in support just behind the frontline, and no. 4 section providing indirect fire (aiming and firing without direct sight of the target). The aim of the supporting sections was to assist in consolidating the captured objective lines.
At 5:25 a.m., the attack began. No. 1 and no. 2 sections advanced towards the first objective line. The attacking battalions had cleared Zonnebeke of snipers ahead of them. Upon reaching the first objective line near Thames Wood and Moulin Farm, no. 2 section assisted in consolidation. When the 26th Battalion advanced towards the second objective line near Daisy Wood, no. 1 section followed in their footsteps. Ten minutes after this objective line was taken, no. 1 section arrived. No. 3 section initially stayed in their starting positions and advanced to the first objective line once it was fully taken. Once there, they took up positions just behind the captured line. No. 4 section was tasked with firing at designated targets and maintaining indirect fire. During the operations, they targeted an enemy battery in Daisy Wood.
After the capture of the second objective line, Arthur Barker volunteered, along with N. J. Butcher, to deliver a message back to the headquarters near Railway Dump. As the two men moved towards headquarters, they came under a German bombardment. They tried to take cover near a destroyed German bunker in Thames Wood. However, a shell exploded 4.5 meters from them, killing Barker and severely wounding Butcher.
He was exhumed from Thames Wood after the war and reburied at Tyne Cot Cemetery, plot XXXIII, row D, grave 4.
Arthur Barker was killed in action at the age of 19 on 4 October during the Battle of Broodseinde, part of the Battle of Passchendaele.
On the night of 3 to 4 October, the company moved out from the Railway Dugouts towards the frontline on the eastern edge of Zonnebeke. Several machine gun sections were to attack at 5:25 a.m. in coordination with the 7th Australian Infantry Brigade. The machine gun sections, each with four machine guns, were divided as follows: no. 1 section with the 28th Battalion, no. 2 section with the 25th Battalion, no. 3 section in support just behind the frontline, and no. 4 section providing indirect fire (aiming and firing without direct sight of the target). The aim of the supporting sections was to assist in consolidating the captured objective lines.
At 5:25 a.m., the attack began. No. 1 and no. 2 sections advanced towards the first objective line. The attacking battalions had cleared Zonnebeke of snipers ahead of them. Upon reaching the first objective line near Thames Wood and Moulin Farm, no. 2 section assisted in consolidation. When the 26th Battalion advanced towards the second objective line near Daisy Wood, no. 1 section followed in their footsteps. Ten minutes after this objective line was taken, no. 1 section arrived. No. 3 section initially stayed in their starting positions and advanced to the first objective line once it was fully taken. Once there, they took up positions just behind the captured line. No. 4 section was tasked with firing at designated targets and maintaining indirect fire. During the operations, they targeted an enemy battery in Daisy Wood.
After the capture of the second objective line, Arthur Barker volunteered, along with N. J. Butcher, to deliver a message back to the headquarters near Railway Dump. As the two men moved towards headquarters, they came under a German bombardment. They tried to take cover near a destroyed German bunker in Thames Wood. However, a shell exploded 4.5 meters from them, killing Barker and severely wounding Butcher.
He was exhumed from Thames Wood after the war and reburied at Tyne Cot Cemetery, plot XXXIII, row D, grave 4.
Sources 4
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7th Australian Machine Gun Company (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM4 24/12/17). http://awm.gov.au Sources used |
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Australian Red Cross Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), RCDIG1032960). http://awm.gov.au Sources used |
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First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920, (National Archives of Australia, Canberra (NAA), B2455, BARKER A). http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au Sources used |
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General Staff, Headquarters 2nd Australian Division (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM4 1/44/27 PART 1). http://awm.gov.au Sources used |
More information 4
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/461820 |
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The AIF Project (UNSW Canberra) https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=13319 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/7349839 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=c59fa7e9-5480-49b4-b248-fb7b7e341d09 |