Orders, Decorations and Medals

Five: Colour Sergeant T. Barker, Royal Marines Light Infantry

1914-15 Star (Ply.9108 Sgt., R.M.L.I.); British War and Bilingual Victory Medals (Ply.9108 Cr. Sgt., R.M.L.I.); Royal Fleet Reserve L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (Ply.9108 A.1332 Clr. Sgt., R.F.R.); Birmingham Swimming Club Medal for Gallantry in Saving Life from Drowning, obv. two rescusitating a third, a lighthouse and yacht in the background, an Angel bearing civic wreaths hovers above, ‘Birmingham Swiming Club’; rev. inscription in raised letters within a wreath of laurel (name and date engraved), ‘Awarded for Gallantry in Saving Life from Drowning to Thomas Barker, Sep. 1897’, 44mm., bronze, pierced with ring suspension, last with edge bruising, very fine and better (5) £200-250

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Jack Boddington Collection of Life Saving Medals.

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Thomas Barker was born in Birmingham on 29 March 1879 and in his early years became a member of the Birmingham Swimming Club. He carried out a rescue in 1897, aged 18 years, and was awarded the Club’s Life Saving Medal. He joined the Royal Marines one year later and entered what was to become a life-long career. He served throughout the Great War aboard the battleship Temeraire, and was present on board the ship at the battle of Jutland. He was discharged from the Royal Marines in 1919 with the rank of Colour Sergeant to serve with the Coastguard and Royal Fleet Reserve. He was discharged from the R.F.R. in 1929 and died in 1931. Sold with copied service papers and other research.