Francis Gibson BARKER

BARKER, Francis Gibson

Service Numbers: 1003, Q187509
Enlisted: 17 January 1916, 1st Reinforcements
Last Rank: Lance Corporal
Last Unit: 1 Garrison Battalion (QLD)
Born: Helidon, Queensland, Australia, 7 January 1897
Home Town: Brisbane, Brisbane, Queensland
Schooling: Murphy's Creek, Queensland, Australia
Occupation: Farmer
Died: Cerebral Thrombosis, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 30 July 1977, aged 80 years
Cemetery: Albany Creek Memorial Park-Cemetery & Crematorium, Queensland
Columbarium 12/Section 26
Memorials: Citizens of Sandgate Honour Roll
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World War 1 Service

17 Jan 1916: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1003, 41st Infantry Battalion, 1st Reinforcements
17 May 1916: Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 1003, 41st Infantry Battalion, 17/5/1916 SS Demosthenes to Southhampton UK 10/03/1918 RMS Durham Castle - returned to Australia
17 May 1916: Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 1003, 41st Infantry Battalion, 17/5/1916 SS Demosthenes to Southhampton UK 10/03/1918 RMS Durham Castle - returned to Australia
18 May 1916: Involvement Private, 1003, 41st Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '18' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Demosthenes embarkation_ship_number: A64 public_note: ''
18 May 1916: Embarked Private, 1003, 41st Infantry Battalion, HMAT Demosthenes, Sydney
24 Jun 1916: Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 1003, 41st Infantry Battalion, Gassed
16 Oct 1917: Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 1003, 41st Infantry Battalion, Shell wound to back
10 Mar 1918: Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 1003, 41st Infantry Battalion, per Durham Castle
17 Jun 1918: Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 1003, 41st Infantry Battalion

World War 2 Service

3 Sep 1939: Involvement Lance Corporal, Q187509
27 Jun 1940: Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, Q187509, 15 Garrison Battalion
27 Jun 1940: Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Lance Corporal, Q187509, 1 Garrison Battalion (QLD)
2 May 1942: Promoted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Lance Corporal, 1 Garrison Battalion
8 Nov 1945: Discharged Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Lance Corporal, Q187509, 1 Garrison Battalion (QLD)
8 Nov 1945: Discharged
8 Nov 1945: Discharged Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Lance Corporal, Q187509, 1 Garrison Battalion
8 Nov 1945: Discharged

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Biography contributed by Chris Buckley

Francis was the seventh of nine children of Robert Barker (born 1861 in Pickering, Yorkshire, England) and Maria Woodall (born 1859 in Seamer in Yorkshire, England. Robert and Maria married in 1883 in Scarborough, Yorkshire and immigrated with their children to Queensland, Australia in 1891. The family settled in Helidon on the Darling Downs in QLd, where Francis was born in 1897.

Francis was a 19 year old farmer when he enlisted in the AIF in January 1916. He served with 41st Battalion as a Private (Service No: 1003) and was WIA in France twice before being Discharged in June 1918.

Francis' brothers served in WWI - Robert Woodall and Sydney Thopson - as did his brothers - in - law Patrick Stack and Harry St John King.

Francis returned from the War and Farmed at Wellington Point in Cleveland, QLD where he met and married Margaret Caroline Tait (born 1896 in Brisbane, QLD). Caroline, a Milliner, died in 1957. Francis lived in Chermside, Brisbane and worked as a Carter, a Labourer and Waterside Worker (Docker),

He enlisted in the Australian Army - ACMF - in June 1940, and  served with 1 Garrison Battalion as a Lance Corporal (Service No: Q187509). Francis was Discharged in November 1945 and lived in Chermside, Brisbane QLD where he worked as a Labourer. Franciis worked as a Truck Driver and was living in Toombul, Brisbane QLD when he married Elsie Martha Oliver (nee Bentley) in 1958. Elsie and Francis continued to live in Toombul, where Francis died in 1977 and Elsie in 1979

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