More about Richard Barber

Richard Barber   CZ/4815   Drake Bn   R.N.D.

Intimation has been received of the death in action on 11th August of Richard Barber, Royal Naval Division, Drake Battalion, eldest son of William Barber, 6 Watson Street.  His wife resides at 2 Erskine Street, Dundee.  Previous to his enlistment he was employed in the Dundee Supply Stores, Commercial Street.

Dundee People’s Journal 2nd September 1916

Richard Barber was the son of Mr William Barber of 65 Watson Street, Dundee and was married to Mrs Jessie Barber of 56 Lillybank Rd, Dundee. Before the war he was employed as a Grocer. In May 1915 he volunteered to join the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve onboard HMS Unicorn for service in the Royal Naval Division. After initial Naval Training at the Crystal Palace in South London he was sent to Blandford Camp in Dorset for advanced military training. William Barber was drafted the Drake Battalion at Gallipoli in October 1915 as a qualified Bomber who specialised in Hand Grenades but was granted six days leave in August before he sailed. He survived the campaign unscathed and, after the withdrawal from Gallipoli in January 1916, undertook garrison duties in the Aegean. The RND left the Eastern Mediterranean in May 1916 to take part in the fighting on the Western Front. Richard Barber was killed in action when the Drake Battalion underwent a familiarisation period in the front line. His grave is in the Bois de Noulette British Cemetery grave reference G10, in Northern France. In the Dundee City Roll of Honour his surname is given as Barbour.