BARKER, David Crothers
| Service Numbers: | 2965, N60162 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 7 April 1915, Waverley |
| Last Rank: | Warrant Officer Class 1 |
| Last Unit: | HQ Eastern Command |
| Born: | Kaniva, Victoria, Australia., 2 February 1888 |
| Home Town: | Mosman, Municipality of Mosman, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Fort Street High School, Petersham, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Artist |
| Died: | Natural causes, Cremorne, New South Wales, Australia, 6 May 1946, aged 58 years |
| Cemetery: |
Rookwood Cemetery & Crematorium Cremated |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 7 Apr 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2965, 5th Field Ambulance, Waverley | |
|---|---|---|
| 31 May 1915: | Involvement Private, 2965, 5th Field Ambulance, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '22' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Ajana embarkation_ship_number: A31 public_note: '' | |
| 31 May 1915: | Embarked Private, 2965, 5th Field Ambulance, HMAT Ajana, Sydney | |
| 12 Feb 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 5th Field Ambulance | |
| 24 Feb 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 15th Field Ambulance | |
| 29 Sep 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Sergeant, Unspecified Indian Army Units, Survey Corps, Indian Expeditionary Force D, Mesopotamia | |
| 1 Oct 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Warrant Officer Class 1, AIF Headquarters (Egypt), Survey Section | |
| 26 Oct 1918: | Transferred AIF WW1, Warrant Officer Class 1, War Records Section , Official Artist | |
| 25 Dec 1918: | Embarked AIF WW1, Warrant Officer Class 1, 2965, AIF Headquarters (Egypt), HT Nestor, Suez for return to Australia - disembarking Melbourne 1 February 1919, then in HT Argyllshire to Sydney for quarantine - released on 14 February 1919 | |
| 7 May 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Warrant Officer Class 1, 2965, AIF Headquarters (Egypt) |
World War 2 Service
| 15 Mar 1940: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), N60162, HQ Eastern Command, Lieutenant | |
|---|---|---|
| 3 Jun 1943: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), N60162, HQ Eastern Command, Lieutenant |
The Anzac Book
Whilst completing IET's in Singleton, I visited my cousin who was living with my nan. He had a troubled upbringing and I explained that he is perfectly suited to the Army. As everything we did in training he would have enjoy immensely.
My Nan then adds 'the Army has always been good to my family'.
I replied 'no that's pops family Nan', (as my grandfathers brother WO1 Raymon Wilson was the platoon sergeant for 1 Platoon 1SAS COY. He helped write all the training manuals at the inception of the Australian SAS, as the Brits wouldn't release theirs. He went on to be the acting RSM prior to the SAS becoming a regiment in 1964. They were on a training exercise in NSW and he was called into Vic Barracks. Where he was told by greater Army, he could not be promoted from Sargeant to WO1 and subsequently he was not to be the first RSM of SASR. My pops father was a 47 year old mechanic in WW11, winning the MM in New Guinea).
She then added 'what are you talking about? My father was in the Army and my grandfather was in Gallipoli, so was his brother!'
She then went to her room and grabbed an original copy of The Anzac Book and says 'see that's my great uncles self portrait on the front!'
Inside the book was a message written to my Great Great Grandmother Mary Barker from James Barker. His brother David Barker was an artist and had been sent to Gallipoli from Mesopotamia by TE Lawrence to instruct on camouflage techniques. It was amazing to learn of this 100 years later, as I am a sniper and have instructed cam and concealment many times myself. During the Gallipoli campaign the call went out that they were to compile a book and asked for submissions. David Barker worked closely with Charles Bean to construct The Anzac Book,he has a number of his drawings in it and has a self portrait of himself on the front cover.
Gee I wish the ballot to attend the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli landing had not been a lottery. As I would have loved to have attended!
Submitted 24 November 2014 by Nathan Murphy
Click images to start slideshow.