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Auction: 23001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 338

The North-West Frontier C.I.E. pair awarded to Director-in-Chief Sir R. C. Barker, Indo-European Telegraph Department

The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire, Companion's breast Badge, gold and enamel, in a Gieves Ltd fitted case; India General Service 1854-95, 4 clasps, Burma 1885-87, Burma 1887-89, Hazara 1888, Hazara 1891 (Mr R. C. Barker. Telegraph Dept.), good very fine (2)

[K.B.] London Gazette 2 June 1923.

C.I.E. London Gazette 10 April 1889.

Rayner Childe Barker was born in 1858, son of the Rev. Thomas Childe Barker, rector of Carleton, Yorkshire. Educated at Bromsgrove and Wimbledon Schools, he entered the Royal Indian Engineering College at Cooper's Hill. Joining the Telegraph Department of India in 1879, he saw service during the Burma Expedition 1886-88 and latterly on the Hazara Expeditions of 1888 and 1891 (Medal & 4 clasps). Having been made a Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire, Barker was appointed Engineer and Electrician of Persian Gulf Section of Indo-European Telegraph Department, he excelled in this role and was afterwards made afterwards Director of the Persian Section.

Barker was extremely efficient and under him the company ran to a high level, despite the problems caused by hostile tribes and political instability. On the outbreak of the Great War Barker is credited with the realisation that Russian overland telegraph communications were under threat. He negotiated and successfully established new lines to be run through Persia which managed to ensure successful communication could be maintained.

He returned to Britain and settled at 8 Recliffe Gardens, Southsea with his wife Priscilla Guise Moores, whom he had married on 17 April 1894. Tragically his wife was killed in a car accident in 1930, Barker himself survived her and died in 1945; sold together with an extract from Debrett's Peerage, Baronetage, Knightage, and Companionage as well as typed research and a C.D. containing a number of research files including pension, pay and leave requests as well as newspaper articles and a marriage certificate.

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Sold for
£1,800

Starting price
£950