George BARKER #179, Q21226

Indigenous Australian, George BARKER, Depot Company

In August 1917, George was working as a stockman on Grosvenor Downs Station, when he volunteered to serve with the first AIF, at the recruiting station in Mackay. It was noted on his enlistment papers that he was a ‘half caste’ and that his father was European; he named his friend George McFadyen of Mount Flora Mine via Nebo, as his next of kin.

George trained at the army camp in Enoggera, Brisbane with No 1 Depot Company, and was given home leave on 1st October. George was found to be absent without leave 10 days later and on his return a Board of Enquiry was held. During this enquiry it was found that George was medically unfit, suffering from ongoing back pain, due to an earlier injury, said to be caused by a fall from a horse.

George was discharged in November 1917, and returned to the work he knew at Strathfield Homestead. In 1920 George married Amy King at Clermont, they had two children Amy Ruth (later Somerville) in 1920, and George Charles in 1923.

George spent his later years with his daughter Mary O'Sing (nee Adams) who was born in 1915 to his first partner Laura Adams, and her children around the Collinsville region.
George Duke Barker passed away in Collinsville Hospital on 10 May 1977 at the age of 88 years.

We are very grateful to Juanita Johnson for her assistance with updating George's story.

Read more ...

• SERVICE RECORD: BARKER, George
• Queensland Exemption Register 1908-1936
• One of the soldiers featured in SLQ’s HistoryPin Collection
• Queensland’s Indigenous Servicemen [mp4]

The information in this blog post has been researched by State Library staff and volunteers, it is based on available information at this time. If you have more information that you would like to share or further research uncovers new findings, this post will be updated.