Obituary: Howard Roy Barker (QM 1934-42)

Howard Roy Barker, known as Roy, was the eldest son on Samuel and Olive Barker.

He was born on April 22nd 1925 in Kettering, then the family moved to West Bromwich when he was 18 months old.

Roy joined Queen Mary’s Grammar School in September 1934. He was a keen scholar and sportsman playing rugby for the First XV. On leaving School he he went to Edinburgh Univesity to study architecture, but it was 1942 and the country was at war so he transferred to the University’s Naval Division and then trained at HMS Ganges in Suffolk, where he was commissioned as a midshipman.

On his 19th Birthday, after spending a few months on convoys in the Altantic he was promoted to a Sub-Lieutenant.

Just two months later on 6th June 1944, ‘D Day’ he found himself to be second in command of a landing craft, landing troops and equipment on Gold Beach.

Naval reports state ‘Roy Barker showed conspicuous bravery whilst under heavy fire from beach defences held by German forces. His landing craft, after disembarking troops, was hit by mortar fire and suffered damage including an engine being disabled’. Roy later went on to man another landing craft making 3 further successful landings on the Normandy beaches.

Such a responsibility for a young man of 19! Some 70 years later at the age of 91 he was proud to be presented with the ‘legion d'honneur’ from the French Government in recognition of his involvement in the liberation of France.

When in 1946, at the age of 21, Roy received his Naval release papers he returned to West Bromwich and joined Wolsey Sheep Shearing Machine Company as Assistant Sales Manager, and enrolled on a Business Training scheme.

When not at work the place to be in those days was West Bromwich Tennis Club, where he met his future wife Gillian Carter. In June 1954 Roy and Jill were married and two years later their son Paul was born followed by a daughter, Anne.

Roy had a successful career and as Sales Director of Driver Southall who manafactured machines for the food packaging industry, he travelled the world. He was a Director of the Institute of Packaging and led Birmingham Chamber of Commerce missions to Australia and South Africa.

As well as devoting time to his family he also found time to become an Active Freemason. He was Past Master of Bromwich Lodge and achieved the outstanding milestone of over 60 years as a Mason.

He was also a Magistrate and sat as a JP at Walsall Magistrates Court.

At 60 there was to be no retirement for Roy as whilst working for Driver Southall he came across a Japanese family owned company called Ishida who specialised in packaging machinary. Mr Ishida was looking to set up a European base so Ishida Europe was formed with Roy as the Managing Director. The company, still in existance today, currently employs over 650 people with a multi-million pound turnover.

Roy eventually retired in 1990 and he and Jill moved to a flat in Hagley which allowed then the freedom to travel.

Roy passed away on 15th July, 2021.