Jump to content
Free downloads from TNA ×
The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Lieutenant Barker, Ardennes, France, 1918 (photo)


Hugo1914

Recommended Posts

 

George Satterlee Barker

 

DOB: 05 May 1894. A student at Pennsylvania State College.

 

Courtesy of ancestry:

GSB.jpg.39a1f7380f14345bb34f1987f919cd05.jpg

 

813597087_WarService.jpg.283da2a109e1d31422435e121b05322d.jpg

 

1381005879_GSBarker.jpg.9fd09bf81bb9fc49453c3efcad68b848.jpg

 

JP

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Hugo1914 said:

Thank you all for your replies regarding the hare, the dog, and the soldier.

Looks like the dog might have got the hare and you are now probably getting your solider.

Don't worry about a bit of levity as in a busy forum like GWF at the moment it has kept your thread a the top of the list and in the pals' eyes whilst we were waiting for serious stuff and for the Americans to arrive [due to a trans-Atlantic time difference in case you were wondering - not an aspersion!]

6 hours ago, Hugo1914 said:

On the latter, according to The Official History of the 315th Infantry 1917-1919, there was a lieutenant George S. Barker in the area at that time, Battalion intelligence officer.

It appears the elusive Lt. Barker when 'off grid' back in 1919 too - they were asking if anyone had seen him even back then.

:-) M

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

1.  George Satterlee Barker died in Florida on 08 February 1959:

GSB.jpg.2ff13f5001524d5ee5d79a86b9f129ae.jpg

 

Tampa Tribune, 09 February 1959:

1141565768_TampaTribune09021959.jpg.bdced64a443e97a648a4922ee1da0263.jpg

 

2.  From ancestry, a 1916 passport photo of GSB's brother - Earle Schuyler Barker (born 26 November 1890):

ESB.jpg.131a55e2b3ceb0ca0a115984e39c63a5.jpg

 

JP

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great, thank you all. Ironically, he was working in "Bayonne", NJ, named after the French city. Not bad for a French-speaking American who fought in France. 

 

Now comes the hardest part for me: understanding how he knew my great-grandfather. Any chance I could get in touch with his great-grandchildren? Through Ancestry?

 

Thanks again,

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, Matlock1418 said:

we were waiting for ... the Americans to arrive

Sorry about that, we have a nasty habit of showing up late! :P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, Hugo1914 said:

Now comes the hardest part for me: understanding how he knew my great-grandfather

On 23/06/2020 at 11:07, Hugo1914 said:

My great-grandfather was a French soldier during WWI.

If we've got the right Barker and as he was an intelligence Officer then I think you have probably provided part of your answer.

Without details of your GGF it will be hard for us to try and help you establish when and where.

:-) M

Edited by Matlock1418
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you all again. As required, more info on my great-grandfather: his name was Albert VILMER (originally WIDMER and also spelled WILMER). He was a lawyer, Ph.D. in law in 1914, living in Dijon. Engaged in the war against Germany between October 1914 and December 1918, he was a sub-lieutenant, in the 16th Territorial Infantry Regiment in 1917, in the 20th Territorial Army Auto Service Squadron in 1918. That's all I know. I don't know where he was deployed, when, to do what... Therefore, I have no idea how he met Barker.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...
On 23/06/2020 at 13:51, FROGSMILE said:

It’s a typical US Army officer’s uniform with so-called ‘garrison cap’ and the badge of rank of a lieutenant....


“Overseas Caps were issued to the American Expeditionary Force in Europe 1917-19. Both U.S. manufactured OS caps and caps "borrowed" from the British and French were worn by soldiers of the AEF. Enlisted soldiers OS caps were not provided with any branch color piping like the later garrison caps were.  However,  officer OS caps were provided with branch of service piping similar to the enlisted garrison caps, which has led to some confusion when attempting to identify the period of use of individual caps. Garrison caps are often incorrectly referred to as overseas caps.”  https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/254296-ae-f-‘trench’-overseas-caps/

There are some really amazing pictures on that aforementioned thread, Interesting to see pictures of Doughboys wearing French forage caps, and even Eddie Rickenbacker has sourced a R.F.C. Field Service Cap!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Keith_history_buff said:

There are some really amazing pictures on that aforementioned thread, Interesting to see pictures of Doughboys wearing French forage caps, and even Eddie Rickenbacker has sourced a R.F.C. Field Service Cap!

Yes there was a mixture of British and French influence on the US Forces uniform during that period.  Many US Officers had their uniforms tailored in London by military outfitters who were competitive and at the top of their game after 5-years of war.  Also Sam Browne belts became popular for a while.  For enlisted men the French style bonnet de police but without any tassels became a far more convenient undress headdress than the impractical campaign hat that could be neither handily stowed in web equipment, nor tucked in a pocket. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...