Star, 1914-15
Description
A 1914-15 Star. The bronze crowned four pointed star also features crossed swords and a wreath of oak leaves with the royal cypher at the foot. " 1914-15 " is embossed on a central scroll. " 10/1731/C.PL C.R. BARKER/N.Z.E.F " is stamped on the reverse. It is attached to a watered red, white and blue striped ribbon by a simple ring. The star is mounted as part of a medal group of four.
See full details
Object detail
Production period
Subject person
Classification
Credit line
This
campaign
medal
belonged
to
Charles
Barker
of
Stratford.
On
9
January
1915
the
20-year-old
cheesemaker
left
his
job
at
Cardiff
dairy
factory
to
enlist.
Seven
months
later
he
landed
at
Anzac
Cove
in
Gallipoli
and
fought
on
Chunuk
Bair
where
he
earned
a
Distinguished
Conduct
Medal.
A
letter
from
Charlie
Barker's
platoon
commander
Murray
Urquart
reads:
"Your son fought very gallantly on Chunuk Bair on the 8th of August and during the following two nights. In spite of his weariness he did very good work by ministering to the wants of wounded men, who could not be attended to in daylight, owing to the exposed nature of the ground where they lay. In doing this he ran much risk. He also rendered service by guiding some reinforcements up Chunuk Bair".
Charlie Barker was discharged in 1916 after being declared unfit for service and returned home. He married Mary Pennington of Mangatoki and worked as a butcher in Eltham. He later moved to New Plymouth where he died in 1962.
"Your son fought very gallantly on Chunuk Bair on the 8th of August and during the following two nights. In spite of his weariness he did very good work by ministering to the wants of wounded men, who could not be attended to in daylight, owing to the exposed nature of the ground where they lay. In doing this he ran much risk. He also rendered service by guiding some reinforcements up Chunuk Bair".
Charlie Barker was discharged in 1916 after being declared unfit for service and returned home. He married Mary Pennington of Mangatoki and worked as a butcher in Eltham. He later moved to New Plymouth where he died in 1962.
Accession number
PA2006.302
Collection type
Public comments
Be the first to comment on this object record.