On the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme. France is the name of Lieutenant John Charles Pearson Barkas, serving with the 10th (Service) Battalion Durham Light Infantry, who died 15/09/1916.

In Longbenton Cemetery is a family headstone for Barkas which reads:

In
loving memory of
Thomas Barkas
beloved husband of
Sarah Ann Barkas
who fell asleep July 2nd 1908
in his 73rd year.

In loving memory of
Sarah Ann
beloved wife of the above
who also fell asleep on Sep. 29th 1916
in her 77th year.

To the dear memory of
John Charles Pearson Barkas
their grandson and beloved son of
Sarah and Thomas Cook Barkas, M.B., B.S.
of Heaton, Newcastle upon Tyne
a Lieutenant of the 2nd Battalion
of the Durham Light Infantry
who fell in action in France on Sep. 15th 1916.
Born Dec. 25th 1891.

Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-

One of 3 children, John Charles Pearson Barkas was the eldest of his siblings, offspring of Thomas Cook Barkas O.B.E. and Sarah Pearson who was born January 13th 1863 in the district of Chester le Street, County Durham, she was the daughter of pawnbroker and auctioneer, Joseph Bland Pearson and Elizabeth Phyllis Shields, natives of County Durham.

John’s father Thomas Cook Barkas was the son of Thomas Barkas a native of Newcastle upon Tyne and Sarah Ann Craggs born at Houghton le Spring, County Durham, who were married at Barnstaple, Devon in 1862 where Thomas Cook Barkas was born October 28th 1863. At the age of 18 years in the census of 1881 he is listed as a student at Cleveland College, Darlington, County Durham. Principal of the college was the local Methodist Preacher, Henry Brooks, he was assisted by his son, teacher and army Lieutenant John Henry Brooks. 

May 8th 1881 Thomas Cook Barkas was attending Durham University studying medicine, he was married to Sarah Pearson in the district of Houghton le Spring, County Durham in 1887 but continued his studies in Arts at Glasgow University commencing March 1890.

Their son John Charles Pearson Barkas was born December 25th 1890 at Heaton, Newcastle upon Tyne, where the family resided at 29, Meldon Terrace. Their second son Thomas Leslie Barkas was born, May 3rd 1894, at the same address, their only daughter Elizabeth Ann born in 1896 sadly died in 1897 not yet 1 year old. 

By 1901 Thomas Cook had transferred his family to 1, Jesmond Vale Terrace, South Heaton, consisting of 12 rooms and was working as a qualified medical practitioner for his own account. To assist his wife at home he employed two housemaid/domestic servants. 

In 1911 whilst Thomas Leslie (16) was at grammar school in Houghton le Spring and a boarder at 6, Almshouses, the property of Frederick Lyon Goul, the school’s headmaster, his brother John was still living at home in Newcastle and studying dentistry at Durham University, from October 4th 1909, after passing the Scottish Preliminary Institute Examination in July 1909.  

The future of both young men was interrupted when Britain declared a state of war existed with Germany, August 4th 1914. John Charles Pearson Barkas during his studies in 1912 had joined the Officer Training Corp as a cadet, August 21st 1914 he was offered a commission as 2nd Lieutenant with the 4th Battalion Durham Light Infantry. 

Upon the commencement of war, with an initial strength of 458 men the battalion left Barnard Castle and moved to the Tyne Defences at Wallsend and along the north bank of the Tyne. By September 15th having been first moved to Killingworth and then Forest Hall, they arrived at Seaham Harbour. The battalion remained at Seaham for the entire duration of the war, part of the coastal defences it also trained men for the draft and retrained the ill and wounded. 

Having been promoted, Lieutenant John Charles Pearson Barkas departed to France, disembarking May 17th 1915 and posted to the 10th Battalion Durham Light Infantry, 43rd Brigade, 14th Light Division. 

By mid-June they had moved to Belgium and were sent into the front line on the Ypres salient where in July they succeeded in defending the trenches south of Hooge with the loss of over 170 men killed or wounded. In June 1916 they moved to France near Arras meanwhile on the Somme during the spring of 1916 plans had been well underway for the commencement of the Battles of the Somme programmed for June 29th 1916. The troops were ready in the trenches, however, the opening battle was delayed by bad weather until July 1st. After two huge detonations in the explosive filled tunnels under the German lines at 7:30 a.m. the whistles blew and the men went over the top.

The 10th Battalion D.L.I. entered the fighting in early August 1916 and as part of the 14th Division joined the fight to clear Delville Wood which was a complete success but casualties were high. This was followed by the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, September 15th-22nd 1916.

Lieutenant John Charles Pearson Barkas was killed in action on the first day of battle, September 15th 1916. His sacrifice is recorded as one of over 72,000 names inscribed on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, Thiepval, France commemorating servicemen from the United Kingdom and South Africa killed on the Somme before March 20th 1918 and who have no known grave. 90% of the names inscribed are men who died between July and November 1916.

As administrator of his late son, Thomas Cook Barkas received all monies due to Lieutenant Barkas from the Army and his awards of the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal, sent to him at 1 Jesmond Vale, South Heaton, Newcastle upon Tyne. Effects in the sum of £207 3 shillings 11 pence were assigned to Thomas Cook Barkas, surgeon, February 15th 1917.

John’s brother Thomas Leslie Barkas, also served during WW1 and survived the conflict. He was married in 1919 to Phyllis Hannah Kingston with whom he had a son Anthony Charles Kingston Barkas, October 8th 1920.

Not only did Thomas Cook Barkas and his wife have to bear the loss of their son but September 29th 1916, Thomas Cook’s mother Sarah Ann Barkas nee Craggs died, this had been preceded by that of his father Thomas Barkas, July 2nd 1908. They were interred at Longbenton Cemetery.

During the 1920s Thomas Cook Barkas and his wife were living at Holmcroft, Grange Road, Fenham. In 1939 he had moved with his wife and daughter in law Phyllis to Middleton Hall Mental Hospital, Darlington, where he was Medical Superintendent. His son Thomas Leslie post WW1 had continued with his military career which had taken him to South Africa where he retired with the rank of Honorary Brigadier in 1947.

Sarah Barkas nee Pearson of the Hawthorns, Carmel Road South, Darlington, died  October 2nd 1943, Her effects in the sum of £3985 10 shillings 7 pence were assigned to her widow Thomas Cook Barkas, physician and surgeon and their son Thomas Leslie Barkas, Brigadier H. M. Army, May 3rd 1944.

Thomas Cook Barkas was in South Africa at the time of his son’s retirement and returned to England from Mombasa aboard the S.S. Mantola, ship number 146274, of the British India Steam Navigation Company Ltd., Steamship Line, arriving in England, March 1st 1947, taking up temporary residence at the Cleveland Hotel, Southsea, Portsmouth. 

Thomas Cook Barkas O.B.E. (1918), M.B., B.S. (Dunelm), formally of Middleton Hall, Middleton St. George, County Durham, now living at Lilburn House, Houghton le Spring, County Durham, died suddenly, July 30th 1947 at City General Hospital, York, aged 84 years. Administration with Will, March 20th 1948 to Robert Alan Branson, chartered accountant and attorney of Thomas Leslie Barkas. Effects in the sum of £17212 17 shillings.

Honorary Brigadier Thomas Leslie Barkas O.B.E., died in South Africa in 1966, details as regards Phyllis Hannah Barkas nee Kingston as yet unknown. Their son Major Anthony Charles Kingston Barkas who served during WW2 as 2nd Lieutenant Durham Light Infantry and also 5th King’s African Rifles, died February 3rd 2009 at Nanyuki Cottage Hospital, Kenya. 

In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.

Thomas Charles Pearson Barkas is remembered at Heaton on H91.10, H.91.11 and H91.15, and also in the  D.L.I. Book of Remembrance, page 244.