Description
A noteworthy group of six to one of the 3011 Australians serving with the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force who returned to Australia and went on to have an extensive military career, re-enlisting into the A.I.F. and serving with the 18th Australian Infantry Battalion as a Lieutenant and earning his Military Cross with the Trench batteries, ending his WWI service as Squadron Officer of the newly formed Royal Flying Corps, then later attesting for WWII service and acquiring the rank of Major with the Armoured Corps. Medals swing mounted with new ribbon, each toned, the group never been available for commerce.
Military Cross, G.V.R., reverse contemporarily engraved “LIEUT. S.W. BARKER. 1917.”
1914-15 Star, impressed “75 PTE S.W. BARKER. 1/A.N. & M.E.F.”
British War Medal, impressed “LIEUT S. W. BARKER 1/A.N. & M.E.F.”
Victory Medal, impressed “LIEUT S. W. BARKER 1 A.N. & M.E.F.”
1939-45 War Medal, impressed “N9832 S.W. BARKER”
1939-45 Australian Service Medal, impressed “N9832 S.W. BARKER”
Sydney William Edgar Barker, born on the 25th February 1895 the son of Mr William A. Barker, was a resident of “Cheshunt”, the Avenue, in the town of Granville, Western Sydney and an accountant by trade.
- Stated a previous service of 3 years with cadets
- Attested for the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force on the 11th August 1914 as Private 75, A.N. & M.E.F., “A” Company
- Embarked Sydney aboard HMAS Berrima 19th August 1914
- Appointed Post Master of Herbertshohe, the landing site of the AN&MEF, Papua New Guinea on the 28th October 1914 – awarded 1/- per day extra pay
- Served alongside the 20th Infantry Battalion (stated on second attestation form)
- Discharged from the AN&MEF on the 4th March 1915 with a total service 206 days, one of 3011 AN&MEF servicemen
Re-enlisted on the 13th September 1915 for the 34th Infantry Battalion, serving with ‘C’ Company
- Promoted Company Sergeant Major of ‘C’ Company on the 21st March 1916
- Promoted Platoon Sergeant of ‘A’ Company, 34th Battalion on the 25th April 1916
- Embarked Sydney aboard HMAT ‘Hororata’ 2nd May 1916, disembarked Plymouth 23rd June 1916
- Promoted 2nd Lieutenant whilst in England on the 12th August 1916
- Attached to 3rd Division ‘Y3A’ Medium Trench Mortar Battery on the 2nd November 1916
- Resumed duty momentarily with 34th Infantry Battalion and attended Wiring Course 17th January 1917
- Promoted Lieutenant 11th February 1917
- Attached to Australian Divisional Trench Mortar Battery on the 29th April 1917
- Transferred to 3rd Heavy Trench Mortar Battery 15th June 1917
Awarded Military Cross on the 28th August 1917
“For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. By his tenacity the courage whilst in charge of a Medium Trench Mortar Battery he kept his guns in action under heavy hostile fire of every description. It was due to his devotion that the wire-outting operations on this sector were successfully carried out under very adverse conditions.” (London Gazette No. 30251, 24th August 1917; Commonwealth of Australia Gazette no. 219, 20th December 1917)
- Attended No. 1 School of Aeronautics 7th September 1917
- Appointed temporary Warrant Officer Class 2 17th September 1917
- Resumed regimental duty with the 34th Battalion on the 17th November 1917
- Proceeded to Egypt for duty with Egyptian Expeditionary Forces from France, disembarking at Alexandria 28th December 1917
Graduated and appointed Flying Officer of the No 1 Flying Squadron and transferred to Australian Flying Corps on the 20th February 1918
- 22nd May 1918 to 23rd Training Squadron
- 16th June 1918 to 19th Training Squadron
- 13th August 1918 qualified to wear wings
- 25th October 1918 – wounded whilst on duty flying over Syria, Barker’s ‘Bristol Fighter’ encountered a severe storm crossing over a mountain, crashing and leaving him injured
- Restored to effective strength 9th December 1918
- Embarked from Egypt aboard HMAT ‘Port Sydney’ to return to Australia 4th March 1919
Following the First World War, Sydney William Edgar Barker M.C. engaged and married Mrs Alma Barker and lived in Northwood, northern Sydney, and became an advertising contractor by trade. With the outbreak of the Second World War, Barker attested for the Second Australian Imperial as N9832 and served in a non-active role within Australia.
- Appointed Provisional Lieutenant of the 2nd Armoured Regiment, 1st Armoured Division, on the 29th July 1940 – the beginning of the formation of the division
- Appointed Provisional Lieutenant with seniority of the Armoured Corps 2ndD. on the 15th December 1940
- Promoted Temporary Captain 17th April 1941
- Promoted Temporary Major 9th March 1942
- Promoted Major 26th October 1942
Sydney William Edgar Barker discharged and retired from the Australian Army 19th August 1944.