Michael Barker (British Army officer)
| Michael Barker | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1884 |
| Died | 1960 (aged 75 or 76) |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom |
| Service/branch |
 British Army |
| Rank | Lieutenant-General |
| Unit |
Second Boer War World War I World War II |
| Commands held |
2nd Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment British Forces in Palestine and Trans-Jordan I Corps Aldershot Command |
| Awards |
Companion of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order & Bar |
Lieutenant-General Michael George Henry Barker CB DSO* (1884–1960) was a British Army general.
Military career
Barker was born 1884 in Wells District, Somerset. He joined the army as a second-lieutenant in the 4th (Militia) Battalion, the East Surrey Regiment on 28 February 1902,[1] before accepting a commission in The Lincolnshire Regiment in 1903.[2] He served throughout the First World War with the Lincolnshire Regiment and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) in 1917. He commanded the 2nd Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment from 1927 to 1931 before being promoted to Brigadier as a staff officer at Eastern Command. He became Director of Recruiting and Organization at the War Office in 1936[2] and British Forces in Palestine and Trans-Jordan in 1939.[3]
He served as commander of I Corps in 1940, before being replaced by Lieutenant-General Harold Alexander. His performance there was undistinguished; his subordinate Montgomery remarked that "only a madman would give a corps to Barker." His active military service was finished, and he served for a year as head of Aldershot Command before retiring from the army later that year.[2]
Barker died in 1960 in Colchester, Essex.
Personal
Barker was the father of Michael John Eustace Barker (1915-1995) who became, among other things, a merchant sailor, and who was, allegedly, the lover of Stephen Spender and, later, W.H. Auden for a time during World War II. "Jack", as he was known, wrote an autobiography, "No Moaning There!", published in 1962.[4]
References
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 27415. p. 1735. 11 March 1902.
- 1 2 3 "Unit Histories, British Army officers.". Retrieved 2 November 2009.
- ↑ "Army Commands" (PDF). Retrieved 23 August 2014.
- ↑ http://audensociety.org/14newsletter.html#P55_34293
Sources
- Biographical Dictionary of British Generals of the Second World War, Nick Smart. ISBN 1-84415-049-6.
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Robert Haining |
General Officer Commanding British Forces in Palestine and Trans-Jordan 1939–1940 |
Succeeded by George Giffard |
| Preceded by Sir John Dill |
GOC I Corps 1940 |
Succeeded by Sir Harold Alexander |
| Preceded by Sir Charles Broad |
GOC-in-C Aldershot Command 1940 |
Succeeded by Sir Geoffrey Raikes |