S5204
BARKER, Thomas Ellis
| Service Number: | 2654 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 31 January 1916, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 3rd Light Horse Regiment |
| Born: | Birchip, Victoria, Australia , 22 February 1895 |
| Home Town: | Narrung, The Coorong, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Died: | Natural causes, Woodside, South Australia, 11 February 1968, aged 72 years |
| Cemetery: |
Woodside Methodist Cemetery |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 31 Jan 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2654, Adelaide, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Oct 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2654, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '1' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Clan MacEwen embarkation_ship_number: A65 public_note: '' | |
| 9 Oct 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2654, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Clan MacEwen, Melbourne | |
| 26 Nov 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 2654, 3rd Light Horse Regiment |
Thomas Ellis Barker
Tom was born on the 22nd February 1895 in Birchip, Victoria. He was the second son on Charles Fred Barker and Maria Estick. By 1898 the family had moved to South Africa where four more children were born. In 1906 the family moved back to South Australia and took up land down at Narrung. It was whilst living here Tom enlisted.
When he returned from the war the family moved up to Wasleys around about 1926. They owned land and farmed up there. Jack and Bill (Toms brothers) lived all their lives up there. On the 29 April 1931 Tom married Ruby Kathleen Tucker. They moved to a farm between Oakbank and Woodside, naming the property "Ellis Lee". They had two daughters Rosemary Kathleen Barker and Glenda Caroline Barker. Grandpa died on the 11th February 1968 and is buried in the Woodside Uniting Church Cemetery.
Every year I take the time to go to the services to not only remember what my Grandfather did, but to also honour other members of my family and all those who have served in the War for us. And to especially remember those who didn't make it back home. I am only here because my Grandfather and Father got to come back and live their lives.
Submitted 20 May 2017 by Bernadette Mason
Biography contributed by Adrian LAI
Thomas Ellis Barker was born in Birchip, Victoria in 1896 as an only child. He moved to Narung in South Australia sometime before enlisting and his previous occupation was a dairy farmer. His mother was Mrs Maria Caroline Baker. He enlisted for the AIF when he was 20 years and 11 months old, with no previous military experience or criminal record.
He enlisted in Adelaide on the 31st of January, 1916. He was assigned to the 3rd Light Horse Regiment which merged with two other horse regiments to become the 1st Light Horse Brigade as part of the 22nd Reinforcement and embarked from Melbourne onboard the HMAT A65 Clan McEwan on October 9th, 1916.
Barker survived the Middle East campaign, and returned to Australia safely on the 22nd of September, 1919, and wast discharged on the 26th of November.
After the war, he married Ruby Kathleen Barker in 1931 in a ceremony in Barossa, and they had a daughter, Rosemary Barker. He passed away of natural causes on the 11th of February, 1968, aged 72. He was buried in the Woodside Methodist Cemetery.
Thomas Ellis Barker was awarded the following medals:
The British War Medal
Victory Medal
1914/15 Star
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