216469 Pte. Edward Barker British Army Duke of Wellington Regiment from:Bradford Yorkshire As with most soldiers who served in the trenches my father, Edward Barker did not say very much about what happened there, but he did tell me this funny thing which happened to him.
He crawled out to a shell hole and spent a few days sending back information about the German movements. He was above his knees in water and soon his feet and legs swelled up. When his regiment attacked he was not able to walk so they put him on a mule to take him back to recover. Unfortunately a German shell exploded behind the mule which bolted with him clinging on with all his strength. The situation was made worse by his own troops which he passed hitting its rump with their rifle butts. He was recommended for a Military Medal, but the Commanding Officer only believed in officers being decorated
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