Archibald Henry Barker

A Deck Hand with H.M. Drifter Kent County., Archibald died on 8th of December 1916 at the age of 24. 

Archibald was born at Broome, Norfolk, on 28 June 1892, a son of Henry and Henrietta Barker. He was baptised at Broome on 27 August 1892. In 1901 his family lived at 9 Risborough Road, Maidenhead, and by 1905 they were living at 108 Cordwallis Road, Maidenhead. Archibald’s father died in 1905 and the family moved back to Broome and his mother married Robert Hancy in 1907. 

On 2 August 1915 Archibald married Edith Wisken at Saint John’s Church, Lowestoft. Archibald was in the Naval Reserve and they both gave their address as 19 Sandringham Road. Later Edith married Sidney Bryanton and lived at 3 Oulton Street, Lowestoft.  

Archibald joined the Royal Naval Reserve on 10 August 1914. Initially he served with the trawler Boy Roy before joining the drifter Kent County. The Kent County was a Special Service Vessel, also known as Q-Ships. The drifter was sunk by a mine about one mile off Cross Sand, near Lowestoft, with the loss of all ten members of crew.