Pauline Priano has submitted the following:
Anthony Charles Kingston Barkas was born, October 8th 1920 at Newcastle upon Tyne, he was the son of Honorary Brigadier Thomas Leslie Barkas O.B.E., born at Newcastle upon Tyne, May 3rd 1894 and Phyllis Hannah Kingston native of Low Fell, Gateshead, historically in County Durham, born June 12th 1897.
His father as a young man had fought during WW1 as 2nd Lieutenant with the East Yorkshire Regiment. He served in France as of May 3rd 1915 and after his promotion to Lieutenant, May 22nd 1916, transferred to the Machine Gun Corps then returned to the East Yorkshire Regiment until the end of the war. Captain T. L. Barkas applied for his medals consisting of the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal, November 20th 1919.
His parents were married during the 3rd quarter (Jul/Aug/Sep) 1919 in the district of Castle Ward, Northumberland,
After the end of WW1 his father remained in the army in South Africa until his retirement. In 1939 his mother Phyllis was living with her in laws, Thomas and Sarah Barkas at Middleton Hall Mental Hospital, Darlington where Thomas Cook Barkas was superintendent of the institution. Her husband, who had remained post-war with the Colours, was serving as Lieutenant-Colonel in command of a battalion of the King’s African Rifles, in South Africa.
Thomas Leslie Barkas remained in the army in South Africa until his retirement. May 11th 1941 he was promoted to Acting Colonel, November 11th 1941 Temporary Colonel, May 2nd 1942 Acting Brigadier, February 11th Temporary Brigadier and upon his retirement February 20th 1947 was granted the honorary rank of Brigadier. King George VI in the Birthday Honours of June 1945 had also bestowed upon him the O.B.E.
Honorary Brigadier Thomas Leslie Barkas O.B.E., died in South Africa in 1966, as reported by the Transvaal Estate Deaths Index, Supreme Court, Pretoria. Details as regards Phyllis Hannah Barkas nee Kingston as yet unknown.
Anthony Charles Kingston Barkas upon the outbreak of WW2 served in the ranks before joining the Officers Cadet Training Unit at Sandhurst and was commissioned, December 31st 1939 as 2nd Lieutenant A.C.K. Barkas with a battalion of the regular army, Durham Light Infantry and 5th King’s African Rifles.
Promoted to Lieutenant July 1st 1941, Acting Captain December 15th 1942-March 3rd 1944 (including El-Alamein), WS/Captain September 2nd 1944, Captain then Acting Major June 2nd 1944-September 1st 1944 1946, Mentioned in Dispatches and Silver Oak Leaf (Burma). By the end of WW2 he was a Temporary Captain.
Post war Captain Barkas was married, May 11th 1946 at St. George’s Church, Nanyuki, Kenya to Peggy Elizabeth Boyd who was born at St. George’s Hanover Square, London in 1927, she was the eldest daughter of Major Roderick Bulteel and Lady Mary Cecilia Boyd and with whom he had 3 children.
Captain Barkas’ career continued post-war until he retired with the rank of Major, December 31st 1952.
Major Anthony Charles Kingston Barkas died February 3rd 2009 at Nanyuki Cottage Hospital, Kenya, his widow Peggy Elizabeth Barkas nee Boyd in circa 2019 also at Nanyuki, Kenya.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
