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Auction: 26002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 201

A Great War M.C. group of three to Lieutenant H. G. Barker, Household Battalion, late Grenadier Guards

Military Cross, G.V.R., engraved on reverse 'Lieut. H. G. Barker Household Battalion Roeux Arras. 3rd May. 1917', in its case of issue; British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. H. G. Barker.), extremely fine (3)

M.C. London Gazette16 August 1917.

'He was the only surviving officer, and showed great courage and ability in organizing parties of the battalion and consolidating a forward position. Throughout he set a magnificent example.'

Herbert Graham Barker was born at Grove Park, Kent on 22 May 1880 and was a wholesale druggist before he joined the army originally joining the Grenadier Guards before transferring to the Household Battalion. He entered the war in France in February 1917 and was awarded his Military Cross for his actions fairly early on in his overseas service. Barker returned to live in the family home in Wimbledon and married Grace Erica Ferguson on 14 January 1926 and was at that time the Agent for the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury. They settled in Surrey living at Runcton Cottage, Lower Bourne, Farnham. Barker died on 30 March 1949.

The letter written by him on 8 May 1917:

'My dear Mother,

I came down from the line to my present camp last Saturday. On Sunday hearing that Marjorie Bell's Clearing Station was within 1/2 mile of me I went & had a bath at the Station next to hers, & Buchanan & I then went on & paid her a call. She took us off to the Nurses' quarters, situated in the garden of a fine old Chateau, & gave us an excellent tea. She seemed very fit indeed, & fortunately was not busy at the moment. She had no news of Chappie. I have just had the stiffest week of my life. Our Division took over a part of the line to carry out an attack a few days later. We got heavily shelled for a few days, & had a few casualties, & these went over the top at 3.45a.m. one fine morning.
I got your letter of the 29th at 2 a.m., just before the attack. It was the 3rd attack made on the place, & we were expected to take it; but again it proved too strong.
Immediately we started the old Boche spotted us, & put up every Verry (sic) light & Rocket he had ready, & turned his Artillery & Machine Guns on. In the darkness it was a regular "Brock's Benefit", or perhaps "Hell let loose" better describes it, but we were up to his front trench before he was really ready. I suddenly found myself on the top of a Dug-out, & out came a Boche in his shirt sleeves, yelling "Thamerad". I wasn't feeling very friendly, & and as the next minute another followed & poked his rifle over his shoulder at me, I dropped a bomb for them as I passed over, which took them & a few more West. We then came to a village & cemetery strongly held - every house seemed to bristle with Machine Guns in the cellars, & we were held up. The graves looked weird against the rockets, etc, & our men were falling right & left. Luckily we never go into the line with full strength of officers, for every one in this attack was killed, except a Captain wounded in the face, who had to remain out in a shell hole for the day & crawled back at night, Boyd (brother of Ws Farwell) also wounded & crawled in early next morning, & myself.

The Seaforths lost all officer casualties-Macaulay was seen to be wounded twice, & was among them. It really was a stiff proposition, & I was fortunate. One of my Corporals was killed by my side in a shell hole, so I left my stick there & took his rifle & did my best to exterminate Boche.
My servant Bussey stuck to me, & where there were very few left, & I saw the remainder retiring I thought it wise to do likewise. We dodged from one shell hole to another, (blazed at every time we appeared,) back to the Boche line we had passed over.
I thought of holding on here, but the rest of the men round me were shot down. Bussey & I alone remained. It was broad daylight by this time, & the firing was terrific. The only thing to do was to get back to our own trench. It was most exciting.
We got out of the trench, taking cover in every convenient hole; poor Bussey's right arm was shot through & broken, then his left shoulder & both arms useless, & he fell behind me & couldn't rise. I managed to get his equipment off & made a sling for his right arm, & got him up & off again. Bobbing in & out of shell holes exhausted him terribly, & I had to dose him with water. How he stuck it I don't know but we got back alright into our trench, & luckily met a stretcher bearer at once, & took him back. Bussey had my Primus Stove on him; can you send me another?
I had my Haversack riddled, a bullet through my brandy flask, the mackintosh & ground sheet on my back well peppered, also my Plus Fours - but escaped without a scratch. We had to stand all day - the Boche sniped our wounded if they attempted to move. In the evening I had just returned from Head Quarters & was sitting at the corner of a trench near a French Mortar the Boche Aeroplanes were trying to spot where a shell just flicked my arm, snicked a hole through vest, etc, & the concussion blew me across the trench, knocking the wind out of me. The skin was just grazed & my arm black & beastly stiff. It took me a few minutes to find out if I had an arm, as I felt so rocky, but I had to return to Head Quarters, & after a day came on down here, & arm now feeling (except for a stiff arm) much fitter. The wounded managed to crawl back for the first two nights, & more may yet be recorded. I have had to start with another servant -Gower by name, a good man. He was servant to Bonham Carter in my Company who was killed. he is an excellent fellow - one of the Royal servants at Buckingham Palace & Windsor. Just post time,

Much love to all,

Y. affect. son

Grahame.'

His medals were sent to him at Kolar, Arterberry Road, Wimbledon, Surrey - the same address to which the above letter was sent.

The lot includes the following archive:

i)
A newspaper cutting of the original citation.

ii)
Boxes of issue for the British War and Victory Medals.

iii)
A letter (as written above) to his mother dated 8 May 1917 with envelope addressed to her in Wimbledon with Army Post Office mark for 8 May 1917, with handwritten copy.

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Estimate
£1,000 to £1,400

Starting price
£1000