Sunderland Echo Friday 01/06/1917
Arnold Septimus Barker was born on the 20th July 1895 at Sunderland, the 5th and youngest son of Colonel Charles William Panton Barker, of Sunderland, Magistrates Clerk, and his wife Mary, daughter of the late John Carr Tone. They resided at the 'Hawthorns' Ryhope Road, Sunderland.
Arnold was educated at the Sunderland High School and Gresham's School, Holt Norfolk. He enlisted into the 18th Hussars, as a private, on the 2nd September 1914.
He was discharged in consequence of an accident to his knee. On his recovery he re-enlisted in the Durham Light Infantry, and served with the British Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders where he was gassed very severely on Whit Monday, at Ypres in August 1915.
Again he was discharged from the Army. He however, obtained a Commission on the 22nd November 1915. Went back into action though he was not fully fit from the gassing he had received.
Finally, he was gazetted out, and subsequently went to Singapore employed in the shipping office by Guthrie and Company Ltd, Singapore, on the 25th December 1916. Hoping the climate may have helped his condition.
He died of a recurring hemorrhage, result of the gas poisoning on the 29th May 1917. He was unmarried.
De Ruvigny Roll of Honour
He is remembered in Sunderland on S140.005, S140.036 and in S140.141
