On the outbreak of the
First World War in the summer of 1914, Barker was like many other reserve officers 'dug out' and appointed to a low-key position, in Barker's case as commandant of a
prisoner of war camp. However, he asked for a more active appointment, and on 21 September 1914 he was appointed second-in-command of the Kensington Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers with the rank of temporary major. This was one of many '
Pals battalions' being raised from the volunteers responding to
Lord Kitchener's famous appeal. The Kensington Battalion, later the
22nd (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (Kensington), was raised by
William Davison, Mayor of the
Royal Borough of Kensington and related to Barker by marriage. The commanding officer (CO) was a more senior 'dugout', but in August 1915 when the battalion began its final training on
Salisbury Plain, the CO was transferred to stay in England with the reserve battalion and Barker was promoted to temporary
lieutenant colonel to take the 22nd Royal Fusiliers on active service. Barnett Barker was known as 'B.B.' to his officers and men. The 22nd Royal Fusiliers landed in France in November 1915 as part of the
99th Brigade (
2nd Division) under the command of Brigadier General Richard Kellett. The two men cooperated successfully, and Barker frequently stood in as brigade commander in Kellett's absence. Despite both men being 'dugouts' they enjoyed one of the longest such partnerships in the
British Expeditionary Force (BEF). Barker won the
Distinguished Service Order (DSO) for conspicuous bravery at the
Battle of Delville Wood on the
Somme, the citation for which appeared in
The London Gazette in October 1916 and reads as follows: His action was the subject of a fanciful illustration in the
Daily Sketch. During the
Battle of the Ancre he led his battalion and a collection of other detachments ('Barker's Mixed Force') to clear the notorious German strongpoint known as the Quadrilateral. At the
Battle of Arleux during the
Arras Offensive, 22nd Royal Fusiliers was engaged in bloody fighting at
Oppy Wood, after which Barker lamented that only 40 of his men had come out of the action with him. Barker received a
bar to his DSO for Oppy Wood and was promoted to brevet major from 3 June. His bar's citations States the following: He was also
mentioned in despatches five times during the war. On 18 November 1917 Barker was promoted to temporary brigadier general to take command of
3rd Brigade in
1st Division, but when Kellett was obliged to give up command of 99th Brigade Barker was transferred on 24 January 1918 to take over from him. One of his first tasks was to disband the 22nd Royal Fusiliers, which after its casualties was the weakest battalion in 2nd Division and was broken up to reinforce other battalions. Barker found posts on the brigade staff for a number of men from the Kensingtons. When the
German spring offensive was launched on 21 March, the 2nd Division was in reserve in the vulnerable
Flesquières Salient, which came under heavy attack. Next day the 99th Brigade was detached to support the
47th (1/2nd London) Division in the front line. It was virtually overwhelmed in the fighting next day, and Barker and his brigade major were unable to reach the battalions as he struggled to maintain a link between
V and
VII Corps as they were pushed back. By 24 March the 'Great Retreat' was under way. Barker and his staff were at a roadside in
Gueudecourt writing orders for the retirement when a single shell fell, killing Barker and his Staff Captain,
Edward Bell. A party of former 22nd Royal Fusiliers, led by Sanitary-Sergeant T.E. McGowan, carried the bodies on stretchers back through the retreat until they were able to commandeer a returning ammunition lorry. Next day they dug two graves at
Albert and held a service over them. ==Memorials==