Heading Style
Graham Pitchfork refl ects on the
courage of Canadian Great War ace
George BarkerVICTORIA CROSS GEORGE BARKER
Sopwith Snipe to evaluate, and
flew across the English Channel
for a two-week detachment. On
October 27 he set off to return to
England but saw a German two-
seat reconnaissance aircraft at
21,000 feet, which he attacked and
destroyed. He was immediately
engaged by a Fokker D.VII scout
and was severely wounded in the
right thigh. Despite his injury he
managed to turn and shoot down
the enemy.
As he descended, he found
himself surrounded by at least
15 other Fokkers and a fierce
fight ensued. Having been
wounded again, he started to lose
consciousness and his Snipe fell
away. He recovered to find himself
still under attack. He charged at
one Fokker head-on and set it on
fire, and continued to battle other
aircraft until he crash-landed.
Unconscious, he was rescued by
troops who lifted him from his
bloodied cockpit and took him to
hospital.
On November 30, the London
Gazette announced that he had
been awarded the Victoria Cross.
Barker joined the RCAF in 1920
and a decade later was appointed
vice-president of Fairchild Aviation
in Canada. On March 12, 1930 he
was killed when an aircraft he was
testing crashed. A five-mile queue
of people gathered to pay their
respects at his funeral, such was
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was accepted as a corporal
observer in December.
Flying with 9 Squadron on
BE.2cs for nine months, he was
credited with shooting down
three enemy aircraft and was
awarded the Military Cross (MC).
He trained as a pilot before joining
15 Squadron. His outstanding
work resulted in a Bar to his MC
before he was wounded during a
hazardous ground attack sortie.
Once recovered, he joined 28
Squadron, flying Sopwith Camels.
After two successful combats his
squadron was transferred to the
Italian Front. During this time, he
was frequently in action, either
through aerial combat or by
strafing ground targets. By April
1918 he had claimed 15 enemy
aircraft while in Italy, and was
awarded the Distinguished Service
Order (DSO). Within weeks he
had claimed a further 16 enemy
aircraft, received a second Bar to
his MC and a Bar to his DSO. The
citation for the latter credited him
with a total of 33 victories.
He was appointed CO of 66
Squadron and despite his
increasing number of ground
duties, he continued to lead
his unit in the air. Barker was
decorated by the Italians and
the French before returning
to England on September 30,
1918, after almost a full year on
operations without a rest.
Keen to return, he was given aB
orn in Manitoba, Canada in
1894, George Barker was
the third Canadian airman
to be awarded the Victoria Cross.
In 1914 he enlisted in the Canadian
Mounted Rifles as a private and
sailed for England in the spring
of 1915. He applied to
join the RFC
and60 FLYPAST February 2018