Barker, Robert Rowland

BORN HULL 1881. SON OF SAMUEL BARKER (1851-1891) AND MARY JANE ROWLAND (1858-1893).

HE MARRIED NELLIE BELLAMY (1884-1975), IN MARCH 1900, AT HULL. HIS WIFE NELLIE & SIX CHILDREN, LIVED AT 61, QUEENS STREET (1911 CENSUS) AND 36, PORTLAND PLACE, PROSPECT STREET, HULL (CWGC ADDRESS). A HULL POST OFFICE WORKER.

HE ENLISTED IN HULL, AS, PRIVATE, 200178 EYR. ARRIVED IN FRANCE, ON 17/04/1915. SERVED WITH THE 1/4TH EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT. SURVIVING THE BATTLE OF ST JULIEEN, IN MAY 1915. HE WAS KILLED IN ACTION, ON 27/05/1918, AGED 37. COMMEMORATED ON THE SOISSONS MEMORIAL, AISNE, FRANCE.

HIS ARMY EFFECTS WERE LEFT TO HIS WIDOW, NELLIE. HIS OLDER BROTHER SAM DIED IN 1913. HE LEFT TWO SISTERS, EDITH AND BEATRICE. HIS DEATH WAS REPORTED IN THE HULL WEEKLY NEWS, ON 23/05/1915, WITH HIS PHOTOGRAPH. HIS WIDOW, RE-MARRIED AND BECAME MRS HERBERT (WAR PENSION RECORDS).

1/4^th East Yorkshire Battalion War Diary – 27^th May 1918

When the storm of gas and High Explosive shells broke over the 50^th Division, at 1am, on 27 May 1918, the 1/4^th East Yorkshire Regiment of the 150^th Brigade (the left Battalion, of the left Brigade of the Division) were disposed as follows: “A” Company held the front line,  “B” Company was in close support in Trench Falais (in CRONNE, at the disposal of the 5^th Green Howards (on the right of the 1/4^th EYR), “D” Company was in support in Marais. For two and half hours the Tornado swept the whole divisional area, causing many casualties and practically destroying the Trenches. The 1/4^th EYR was completely disorganised and rear guard actions were fought back to the River Aisne and the Bridge at Maizy, “the number which succeeded in crossing being very small.” Total strength of the 1/4^th EYR was 4 Officers and 105 Other Ranks, out of 30 Officers and 642 Other Ranks, which began, before the attack. The Battle continued until 6^th June 1918, but the 1/4^th  EYR took no further part after the 27^th May and retired to Vert La Gravelle.