Name
Sydney Barker
20th February 1894
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
07/05/1915
22
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
10611
King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star (with Clasp & Roses), British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BEDFORD HOUSE CEMETERY
Enclosure No.6. II. D. 15.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
St John the Baptist Church Memorial, Cottered.
Pre War
Sidney was born in Cottered on 20 Feb 1894 to George William Barker (born 1861 in Anstey, Herts), a shepherd, and Emily Sarah, (born 1865 in Anstey, Herts, nee Martin). Sidney was baptised on the 4th Apr 1894 in the Church of St. John the Baptist in Cottered. Sidney attended the Cottered Church of England School from Jan 1898 to Feb 1908.
The 1901 Census records Sidney aged 8, living with his parents, brothers Alfred 14, Frederick 12, George 9, Kenny 1 and sister Mablel 5, in Cottered, Herts. The 1911 Census records Sidney aged 17 and working as a Farm Labourer, living with his parents , brothers Alfred 24, Frederick 22, George 19, and Kenneth 11, in Cottered, Herts. His Brother George died in December 1913.
Wartime Service
Sidney enlisted in Royston, Herts. This was have been soon after War was declared and was posted (landing at Le Havre on 26 Oct 1914) as Private 10611 to the 2nd Battalion, Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, which had been deployed to France on 16 Aug 1914 as part of 5 Division in the original British Expeditionary Force.
By Apr 1915 2nd Battalion were situated at Ypres and involved in the Capture of Hill 60 (17th - 22nd Apr), Battle of Gravenstafel (22nd – 23nd Apr) and St. Julien (24th – 4th May). Sidney probably took part in the above battles but he was reported as killed in action on 7 May 1915.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £5 and arrears of £11 os 9d was paid to his father.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne, Neil Cooper
Stuart Osborne
