1. Evelyn Barker was educated at Wellington College, Berkshire, later entering the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, where, on 5 February 1913, he passed out and was commissioned into the King's Royal Rifle Corps of the British Army.
37 Facts About Evelyn Barker
1. 2.
Evelyn Barker was posted to the 4th Battalion, KRRC, which was then serving in Gharial, British India.
3.
Evelyn Barker, who had by now gained the nickname "Bubbles", was still in India with his battalion when the First World War began in August 1914.
4.
Evelyn Barker was wounded in March 1915, during the actions of St Eloi Craters.
5.
On 10 April 1916, Evelyn Barker was promoted to captain and became the battalion's adjutant.
6.
Evelyn Barker remained in this role until August 1917, when he became a General Staff Officer Grade 3 on the headquarters of the 22nd Division.
7.
Evelyn Barker relinquished this appointment on 11 January 1918, upon becoming a brigade major with the 67th Brigade.
8.
In 1919, Evelyn Barker took part in the British military expedition in the Russian Civil War.
9.
Evelyn Barker remained in the army during the interwar period and was promoted to captain on 19 August 1920.
10.
Evelyn Barker later returned to the United Kingdom and served as a GSO3 at the War Office and later at Southern Command.
11.
Evelyn Barker then served on regimental duties for several years before he attended the Staff College, Camberley, from 1927 to 1928.
12.
On 1 July 1934, Evelyn Barker was made a brevet lieutenant-colonel and assigned to the 8th Infantry Brigade, part of the 3rd Infantry Division.
13.
In June 1936, Evelyn Barker became Commanding Officer of the 2nd Battalion, KRRC.
14.
Evelyn Barker, who was 44, had been selected over those who had seniority and indicated that Evelyn Barker's superiors regarded him highly.
15.
In October 1939, one month after the outbreak of the Second World War, Evelyn Barker took his brigade to France as part of the British Expeditionary Force.
16.
Evelyn Barker was on leave in England and immediately returned to France.
17.
Evelyn Barker seemed to like it; indeed I feel sure that he did.
18.
Evelyn Barker liked to observe his officers and men in times of stress, because it helped to weigh them up.
19.
In England, Evelyn Barker retained command of the 10th Infantry Brigade until 5 October 1940.
20.
Evelyn Barker then spent the next two months as member of a Transportation Committee, which saw him temporarily reduced to the rank of colonel.
21.
On 11 February 1941, Evelyn Barker was promoted to the acting rank of major general and made General Officer Commanding 54th Infantry Division.
22.
On 30 April 1943, Evelyn Barker became GOC of the 49th Infantry Division.
23.
Evelyn Barker believed the original design looked too timid and had the polar bear redesigned into a more aggressive-looking animal.
24.
When Evelyn Barker became GOC, the division had been selected to join the British Second Army to take part in the Allies' invasion of Normandy.
25.
On 1 January 1944, Evelyn Barker was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath.
26.
Evelyn Barker's division led Operation Martlet, an attack to support a larger offensive codenamed Operation Epsom.
27.
Evelyn Barker was knighted as a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 5 July 1945.
28.
On 31 December 1945, Evelyn Barker was made an Honorary Colonel of the Duke of York's Own Loyal Suffolk Hussars.
29.
Evelyn Barker was made colonel commandant of the KRRC from 11 February 1946 to 10 February 1956.
30.
Evelyn Barker was dispatched to Palestine and appointed GOC of the British Forces in Palestine and Trans-Jordan.
31.
Evelyn Barker saw capital punishment as an effective deterrent and argued for a wide application of the death penalty to Zionist guerillas.
32.
In June 1946, Evelyn Barker planned a large-scale police operation throughout the Yishuv.
33.
On 24 January 1947, Evelyn Barker confirmed the death sentence of the Irgun fighter, Dov Gruner.
34.
Evelyn Barker was the target of several assassination efforts, which included explosive devices placed around his residence.
35.
Evelyn Barker left Palestine in February 1947, and returned to the United Kingdom.
36.
On 1 January 1951, Evelyn Barker was made the Honorary Colonel of the 286th Regiment, Royal Artillery, and held that post until 31 December 1962.
37.
Evelyn Barker was Deputy Lieutenant for the county of Bedfordshire from 12 July 1952 until 20 April 1967.