British War Medal 1914-18

Obverse: Head of King George V (left). Legend: 'GEORGIVS V BRITT : OMN : REX ET IND : IMP:' Reverse: A Knight on horseback (right) a short sword in his right hand, trampling on the German shield, skull and cross-bones. Legend: '1914-18': Engraved on the edge: 'PAYR.LT.CR L.R. BARKER R.N.' Fitted with a bar and orange watered silk ribbon edged with blue, black and white stripes. Mounted on a bar with three other medals. The original box of issue is numbered ZBA8019 and is for MED1378 and MED1377.

The son of a Melton Mowbray solicitor, Leonard Richard Barker (1881-1971) entered the civil branch of the Royal Navy on15 July 1899. Before the start of World War I, he had served on the East Indies Station with the rank of Assistant paymaster in sloops HMS 'Odin', and HMS 'Alert'. These ships were employed suppressing gun running in the Persian Gulf. He returned to the United Kingdom at the start of the war, and by now a paymaster, was transferred to armoured cruiser HMS 'Roxburgh' from the 14 July 1915. The ship was at that time in Rosyth, undergoing repairs following her damage by a torpedo from 'U-38'. From April 1916 she was back in service, escorting Atlantic convoys. On the 13 February 1918, she rammed and sunk 'U-89'. Barker continued his naval career after the war, retiring as paymaster captain on 18 July 1931. He returned to service in 1940 and continued throughout World War II. He married Gladys Bootiman on 10 October 1916 in Liverpool and died in Addlestone, Surrey, aged 90.

Object Details

ID: MED1377
Collection: Coins and medals
Type: War medal
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Mackennal, Edgar Bertram; McMillan, William
Events: World War I, 1914-1918
Date made: 1919
People: King George V; Barker, Leonard Richard
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Measurements: Overall: 36 mm