Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Samuel Barkel was born 1892 in Grangetown, Yorkshire, the only son of John Barkel and Maria Swallow, his parents were married June 1892 in the district of Durham. His father died when Samuel was an infant and his mother remarried to Joshua Charles Ross, December 1896 in Sedgefield. From this marriage Samuel had three half-brothers and three half-sisters. In 1901 they were living in Ferryhill Village where his step-father was employed as a groom-coachman which was his continued employment, Samuel chose to work, at the age of 18, as a colliery labourer, the family in 1911 lived at 16, Highcliffe Terrace, Ferryhill. November 14th 1914 the marriage took place, in Darlington, of Samuel to Eleanor Hayman, they went on to have two children, a boy, John Henry born in Ferryhill, August 30th 1915 and a girl Joan born Darlington November 21st 1918.
Samuel Barkel was still living in Ferryhill at 29 Windsor Avenue, working as a miner, when he enlisted in Darlington, October 30th 1915 for the duration of the war and was assigned as Gunner 6489 to the 151st Darlington Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, attached to the 50th Northumbrian Division. Sent overseas June 19th 1916 from Southampton to Le Havre, the Division disembarked June 20th. His name was placed on the War Office Casualty List, March 25th 1917, as having injured his right knee, a torn meniscus and was sent to the No.5 General Hospital at Dannes Camiers where there was a railhead for the evacuation of the more serious cases. Samuel was invalided to England April 1st 1917 aboard the H. S. Stad Antwerpen, a cross channel ferry commissioned as a troop carrier and hospital ship during WW1 and was admitted to hospital in Birchington-on-Sea, Kent, April 5th, transferred to Shorncliffe Military Hospital by the 7th and finally to Croydon War Hospital April 10th 1917 until August 1st 1917 where he received, amongst other things, heat therapy. Sufficiently recovered Samuel was sent to the 2nd Reserve Battery, 1st Reserve Brigade in Gosport and it was not until March 9th 1918 that he was again sent to France as part of the British Expeditionary Force. April 8th 1918 he was assigned as Gunner 295856 to the 154th Heavy Battery, 87th Brigade Royal Garrison Artillery, joining them in the field April 13th 1918.
August 8th 1918 his wife Eleanor received notification that her husband had been killed, this was followed by a letter to the Records Office dated August 13th from his mother who requested confirmation of his death. Two days later she received a reply at the address of 1, Stratford Gardens, Ferryhill from the R. G. A. Records Office which read, “Madam, I am in receipt of your letter of 13th inst., and in reply regret to inform you that No. 295856 Gunner S. Barkel 154 Heavy Battery R. G. A., was “killed in action” on 21-7-1918 in France………I wish to express my deepest sympathy and regret.”
Gunner Samuel Barkel, 295856 Royal Garrison Artillery was killed in action, aged 24 years, July 21st 1918 and is interred at Godewaersvelde British Cemetery, North France, grave II. A. 24.
His widow Eleanor paid 6 shillings and 1 pence for the additional inscription of the words, “He Died That We Might Live”. She was his sole beneficiary and received all monies due to him, a pension for herself and the children along with his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal and person possessions consisting of; coin purse with 2 pence 3 farthings, wallet, photos and cards, letters, badge and titles, tin of tape, thimble, bag, 2 razors, toothbrush, comb, rosary, belt and misc., all of which were sent to the address of 10 Thornton Street, Darlington where she was living in 1919.
Their son John Henry died June 1992 in Darlington, I have been unable to find details of their daughter.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Samuel Barkel is remembered as S. Ross at Chilton on C107.01, C107.04 and C107.12
