Frederick Barter VC MC (1891 - 1953)

Born 17 Jan 1891 in Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales, United Kingdom

Died 15 May 1953 at age 62 in Bournemouth, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom

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Biography

Frederick Barter VC MC was awarded the Victoria Cross.

Frederick Barter VC MC was awarded the Military Cross.

Frederick Barter VC MC was awarded the Order of St George, 4th Class.

Frederick Barter VC MC is Notable.

Frederick Barter VC MC was born in Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales.

• Frederick Barter was born at 66 Minny Street, St John, Cardiff, Wales on 17th January 1891. His father, Samuel Barter, was born in Somerset and was a gravedigger when Frederick was born. His mother, Emily Ann Sage, was born also in Somerset and married Samuel in Cardiff in 1889.
• It is said^[1] that he enlisted in 3rd (Reserve) Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, formerly Militia, on 4th December 1908 and rose to Sergeant before transferring to the Royal Welsh Fusiliers Special Reserve but in the 1911 census he is still living at home working as a labourer for a corn and hay merchant.
• On 16th May 1915 at Festubert, France, Company Sergeant-Major Barter, when in the first line of German trenches, called for volunteers to enable him to extend our line, and with the eight men who responded, he attacked the German position with bombs, capturing three German officers, 102 men and 500 yards of their trenches. He subsequently found and cut 11 of the enemy's mine leads situated about 20 yards apart. For this action he was gazetted for the VC on the 29th June 1915.
• His Victoria Cross was presented to him by King George V at Buckingham Palace on 12th July
• It is thought that as a. result of this action he was awarded the Russian decoration of the Order of St George. Dependant upon what source you read it was either 3rd or 4th class. The latter is slightly more likely, although the Regimental Museum, where his medals are held, says 3rd Class.
• After a while he was seconded to the Indian Army on the North West Frontier, followed by time in Palestine, and then to Egypt.
• He was awarded the Military Cross for his actions at El Kefr, Egypt on 10th April 1918 while leading two platoons in a flank attack up a steep hill. He then placed one platoon with two Lewis guns to command the enemy line of retreat while he gallantly led an attack with the other platoon from the rear and a flank, killing or capturing almost the whole garrison.
• He was gazetted for the Military Cross in the London Gazette 26 July 1918.
• He retired from the Indian Army on 5 November 1922
• He married on 13th May 1925, but had no children
• He passed away in 1953, just a few days before the Coronation and was cremated in Bournemouth. The lack of knowledge of this by the authorities meant he. was awarded the Coronation Medal.

Memorial Stone

• There is a memorial stone to him in Cathay Park Cardiff

Sources

1. ↑ http://www.vconline.org.uk/frederick-barter-vc/4585952604.html

• "England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2XBK-W8Q : 1 October 2014), Frederick Barter, 1891; from "England & Wales Births, 1837-2006," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Birth Registration, Cardiff, Glamorganshire, Wales, citing General Register Office, Southport, England.
• Baptism - "Wales, Glamorgan Parish Registers, 1558-1900," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VFZG-D4Q : 5 December 2014), Frederick Barter, 1891; Baptism, citing Cardiff St. Teilo, Glamorgan, Wales, Glamorgan Family History Society, Cardiff.
• 1891 census - FamilySearch: "England and Wales Census, 1891," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:41MS-P3Z : 8 May 2019), Frederick Barter in household of John Barter, Cardiff St Johns, Glamorgan, Wales, United Kingdom; from "1891 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 12, Glamorganshire county, subdistrict, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.
• 1901 census. - "England and Wales Census, 1901," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X91T-HMH : 21 May 2019), Frederick Barter in household of John Barter, Roath, Glamorgan, Wales, United Kingdom; from "1901 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing Central Cardiff subdistrict, PRO RG 13, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
• 1911 census - "England and Wales Census, 1911," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XW6N-8MK : 27 June 2019), Frederick Barter in household of Sam Barter, Cathays, Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales, United Kingdom; from "1911 England and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 14, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.