PRIVATE JOSIAH SEPTIMUS BARKER
Died 22nd September 1917
No. 29074 of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, 7th Battalion.
Born: Woburn Sands, 26th December 1888
Resided: Woburn Sands
Enlisted: Oxford, December 1916
Josiah was the youngest son of Josiah snr. and Ann. Josiah snr. lived in Weathercock Lane, in a house belonging to William Needham, and worked as a groom. The 7th Ox. and Bucks. had moved from Marseille, France to Salonika, Greece in November 1915.
On the 22nd September, the 7th Battalion were in “L” sector of the front, in the Snevce and Vardar rivers area, (known as Smol Hill) where “C” company suffered three casualties from artillery fire. Josiah was killed in action, aged 29.
North Bucks Times, 9th October, 1917 “Killed in Action. News came through to his relatives on Wednesday that Pte. J. Barker, youngest son of Mr Josiah Barker, had been killed in France. The passing bell also mourned the news. He was formerly employed at Messers Franklins Coal Wharf.” [France is an error]
Capt. G. B. Martin, MC, of the 7th Ox. & Bucks. wrote to tell his sister, Mrs Whitbread of Station Road, of his death and how quick and painless it was. He said he had been buried in a picturesque place. He is buried in the Karasouli Cemetery, Greece, which contains remains from the Hadzi Bari Mar, Caussica and Kalinara cemeteries. He is listed on the Woburn Sands Memorial. His army service papers have not survived.
There is also a memorial stone to him in St. Michael’s churchyard, and on the same stone are the details of another military Barker, those of L/Corp. Frederick Frank Barker, Josiah’s half brother, who died in Nowgong, India, November 9th 1905, aged 20. Frederick was the sixth son of Josiah snr’s first wife, Emily Elizabeth.
Page last updated Jan. 2019.