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Evelyn Barker
General Sir Evelyn Hugh Barker, KCB, KBE, DSO, MC (22 May 1894 – 23 November 1983) was a British Army officer who saw service in both the First World War and the Second World War. During the latter, he commanded the 10th Brigade during the Battle of France in 1940, the 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division and the VIII Corps in the Western Europe Campaign from 1944 to 1945.
After the war, Barker was the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the British Forces in Palestine and Trans-Jordan from 1946 to 1947, during the Palestine Emergency. He is remembered for surviving assassination attempts during the insurgency, and his controversial order in the wake of the King David Hotel bombing in July 1946 in which he declared, "[We] will be punishing the Jews in a way the race dislikes as much as any, by striking at their pockets and showing our contempt of them."
Born in Southsea, Hampshire, England, on 22 May 1894, Evelyn Hugh Barker was the son of Major General Sir George Barker, a British Army officer of the Royal Engineers, and the Hon. Clemency Hubbard, daughter of John Hubbard, 1st Baron Addington, as the youngest of two children and the only son. He was educated at Wellington College, Berkshire, later entering the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, where, on 5 February 1913, he passed out and was commissioned into the King's Royal Rifle Corps (KRRC) of the British Army. He was posted to the 4th Battalion, KRRC, which was then serving in Gharial, British India.
Barker, who had by now gained the nickname "Bubbles", was still in India with his battalion when the First World War began in August 1914. In November, the battalion was dispatched back to the United Kingdom, and joined the 27th Division. On 27 November, Barker was promoted to the temporary rank of lieutenant. The following month, the 27th Division was deployed to the Western Front in France. Barker was wounded in March 1915, during the actions of St Eloi Craters. In November, after having recovered from his injury, he was sent to the Salonica front along with his battalion, where he would remain for the remainder of the war. On 10 April 1916, Barker was promoted to captain and became the battalion's adjutant. He remained in this role until August 1917, when he became a General Staff Officer Grade 3 (GSO3) on the headquarters of the 22nd Division. He relinquished this appointment on 11 January 1918, upon becoming a brigade major with the 67th Brigade. By the end of the war, he had been wounded twice, awarded the Military Cross and the Italian Silver Medal of Military Valor, and twice been mentioned in despatches. On 3 June 1919, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order.
In 1919, Barker took part in the British military expedition in the Russian Civil War.
Barker remained in the army during the interwar period and was promoted to captain on 19 August 1920. He later returned to the United Kingdom and served as a GSO3 at the War Office and later at Southern Command. In 1923, he married Violet Eleanor. They had one son, George Worsley Barker. Barker then served on regimental duties for several years before he attended the Staff College, Camberley, from 1927 to 1928. After graduation, he was assigned back to the KRRC. On 1 July 1929, he was promoted to brevet major. On 4 December 1929, he returned to the War Office as a GSO3.
On 1 July 1934, Barker was made a brevet lieutenant-colonel and assigned to the 8th Infantry Brigade, part of the 3rd Infantry Division. In June 1936, Barker became Commanding Officer of the 2nd Battalion, KRRC. The battalion was dispatched to Palestine, on internal security duties, during the 1936–39 Arab revolt in Palestine. In 1937, the battalion was converted into a motorised infantry formation and returned to the United Kingdom to become part of the Mobile Division (later the 1st Armoured Division).
In late July 1938, Barker relinquished his battalion command. On 1 August, he was promoted to brevet colonel and was given the temporary rank of brigadier for his new command, the 10th Infantry Brigade (part of the 4th Infantry Division). Barker, who was 44, had been selected over those who had seniority and indicated that Barker's superiors regarded him highly. That move caused some resentment with other officers who had been passed over.
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Evelyn Barker
General Sir Evelyn Hugh Barker, KCB, KBE, DSO, MC (22 May 1894 – 23 November 1983) was a British Army officer who saw service in both the First World War and the Second World War. During the latter, he commanded the 10th Brigade during the Battle of France in 1940, the 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division and the VIII Corps in the Western Europe Campaign from 1944 to 1945.
After the war, Barker was the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the British Forces in Palestine and Trans-Jordan from 1946 to 1947, during the Palestine Emergency. He is remembered for surviving assassination attempts during the insurgency, and his controversial order in the wake of the King David Hotel bombing in July 1946 in which he declared, "[We] will be punishing the Jews in a way the race dislikes as much as any, by striking at their pockets and showing our contempt of them."
Born in Southsea, Hampshire, England, on 22 May 1894, Evelyn Hugh Barker was the son of Major General Sir George Barker, a British Army officer of the Royal Engineers, and the Hon. Clemency Hubbard, daughter of John Hubbard, 1st Baron Addington, as the youngest of two children and the only son. He was educated at Wellington College, Berkshire, later entering the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, where, on 5 February 1913, he passed out and was commissioned into the King's Royal Rifle Corps (KRRC) of the British Army. He was posted to the 4th Battalion, KRRC, which was then serving in Gharial, British India.
Barker, who had by now gained the nickname "Bubbles", was still in India with his battalion when the First World War began in August 1914. In November, the battalion was dispatched back to the United Kingdom, and joined the 27th Division. On 27 November, Barker was promoted to the temporary rank of lieutenant. The following month, the 27th Division was deployed to the Western Front in France. Barker was wounded in March 1915, during the actions of St Eloi Craters. In November, after having recovered from his injury, he was sent to the Salonica front along with his battalion, where he would remain for the remainder of the war. On 10 April 1916, Barker was promoted to captain and became the battalion's adjutant. He remained in this role until August 1917, when he became a General Staff Officer Grade 3 (GSO3) on the headquarters of the 22nd Division. He relinquished this appointment on 11 January 1918, upon becoming a brigade major with the 67th Brigade. By the end of the war, he had been wounded twice, awarded the Military Cross and the Italian Silver Medal of Military Valor, and twice been mentioned in despatches. On 3 June 1919, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order.
In 1919, Barker took part in the British military expedition in the Russian Civil War.
Barker remained in the army during the interwar period and was promoted to captain on 19 August 1920. He later returned to the United Kingdom and served as a GSO3 at the War Office and later at Southern Command. In 1923, he married Violet Eleanor. They had one son, George Worsley Barker. Barker then served on regimental duties for several years before he attended the Staff College, Camberley, from 1927 to 1928. After graduation, he was assigned back to the KRRC. On 1 July 1929, he was promoted to brevet major. On 4 December 1929, he returned to the War Office as a GSO3.
On 1 July 1934, Barker was made a brevet lieutenant-colonel and assigned to the 8th Infantry Brigade, part of the 3rd Infantry Division. In June 1936, Barker became Commanding Officer of the 2nd Battalion, KRRC. The battalion was dispatched to Palestine, on internal security duties, during the 1936–39 Arab revolt in Palestine. In 1937, the battalion was converted into a motorised infantry formation and returned to the United Kingdom to become part of the Mobile Division (later the 1st Armoured Division).
In late July 1938, Barker relinquished his battalion command. On 1 August, he was promoted to brevet colonel and was given the temporary rank of brigadier for his new command, the 10th Infantry Brigade (part of the 4th Infantry Division). Barker, who was 44, had been selected over those who had seniority and indicated that Barker's superiors regarded him highly. That move caused some resentment with other officers who had been passed over.