Alan Barker
Born29 October 1898
Canterbury, Kent, England
DiedAugust 1984
Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branchBritish Raj British Indian Army
Years of service1916−1948
RankBrigadier
Commands held27th Indian Infantry Brigade
43rd Independent Gurkha Infantry Brigade
Battles/warsFirst World War
Third Anglo-Afghan War
Second World War
AwardsCompanion of the Distinguished Service Order
Officer of the Order of the British Empire
Military Cross

Brigadier Alan Robert Barker DSO OBE MC (29 October 1898 – August 1984) was a senior British Indian Army officer of the Second World War.

On 27 October 1916 Barker was commissioned into the Indian Army on the unattached list, and between January and August 1917 he served with the Royal Flying Corps in France.[1][2] He was promoted to lieutenant on 27 October 1917, and received a commission in the 7th Duke of Edinburgh's Own Gurkha Rifles. Barker then joined the 124th Duchess of Connaught's Own Baluchistan Infantry serving in India.

In 1919 he was awarded the Military Cross for his actions in the Third Anglo-Afghan War.[3] Between 1937 and 1940 he was Brigade Major of the Peshawar Brigade, and he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel in 1942.[2] At some point during the interwar period he attended the Staff College, Camberley.[2]

In July 1942 Barker became the commander of the 27th Indian Infantry Brigade, and led the brigade during operations in the Middle East.[2] In 1944, he became commander of the 43rd Independent Gurkha Infantry Brigade, engaged in the Italian Campaign. On 18 October 1945 he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his leadership during heavy fighting on the Gothic Line.[4] On 23 May 1948 he retired from the Indian Army, but was retained on the Army Emergency Reserve of Officers.

He was Honorary Colonel of the 10th (Wiltshire) Battalion, Mobile Defence Corps.[2]

References

  1. "No. 29803". The London Gazette (Supplement). 24 October 1916. p. 10407.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Indian Army officer histories". Unit Histories. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  3. "No. 32001". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 July 1920. p. 8053.
  4. "No. 37310". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 October 1945. p. 5099.
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