William George Barker - Wikipedia

Thank you, my friend Maj Marty Hogan for making us aware that November 3 is the anniversary of the birth of Canadian First World War fighter ace and Victoria Cross recipient William George "Billy" Barker, VC, DSO & Bar, MC & Two Bars.
Rest in peace William George "Billy" Barker!

The Hero's Hero - The Forgotten Life of William Barker
"A farm boy from Dauphin, Manitoba, William George Barker was one of thousands of young Canadians who responded to the call to join up to fight in The Great War, 1914-18.
Finding a way out of the horrific trenches, Barker took to the skies and became one of the most talented and determined fliers of the war.
To the other pilots Barker was their hero. Earning an unprecedented 12 medals for courage and valour, including the Victoria Cross.
Yet the very talents that made him an Ace would ultimately betray him in a peace-time life that was marred with disappointment and, ultimately, tragedy.
To this day, William George Barker is Canada's most decorated soldier."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3ZVy-aYJG4

Images:
1. William George Barker.
2. Sopwith Camel B6313 and W. G. Barker.
3. William Barker next to his Sopwith Camel.
4. The fuselage of Barker’s Snipe E8102 is on display at the Canadian War Museum.


Background from greatwarflyingmuseum.org/the-aviators/william-george-barker/
"William George Barker
Country: Canada
Born: 03 November 1894
Place of Birth: Dauphin, Manitoba
Deceased: 12 March 1930
Rank: Major
Decorations: VC, DSO and bar, MC and two bars, Croix de Guerre (Fr.), Medaglia al Valore Militare (It.)
Service: Royal Flying Corps
Royal Air Force
Units: 4, 9, 15, 28, 66 (RFC)
139, 201 (RAF)
Victories: 50

Barker joined the Canadian Mounted Rifles in December 1914. He spent a year in the trenches before transferring to the Royal Flying Corps in April 1916. After starting out as a mechanic, he qualified as an observer in August 1916 and shot down his first enemy aircraft from the rear seat of a B.E.2d. Posted to England in November 1916, he soloed after 55 minutes of dual instruction and received a pilot’s certificate in January 1917. A month later, he was back in France flying an R.E.8 until wounded by anti-aircraft fire on 7 August 1917. When he recovered, he served as a flight instructor before returning to combat duty in France. In November 1917, his squadron was reassigned to Italy where Barker’s Sopwith Camel became the single most successful fighter aircraft of the war. Logging more than 379 hours of flight time, Barker shot down 46 enemy aircraft before Camel #B6313 was retired from service and dismantled on 2 October 1918. That month, he assumed command of the air combat school at Hounslow. Deciding he needed to brush up on air combat techniques for his new assignment, Barker joined 201 Squadron for ten days in France. During that time, he saw no action and was about to return to England when he decided to make one more excursion over the front. On 27 October 1918, alone and flying a Sopwith Snipe, he encountered a large number (sometimes quoted as sixty) enemy aircraft. In an epic battle with Jagdgeschwader 3, Barker shot down four enemy aircraft despite appalling wounds to both legs and his elbow. Fainting from pain and loss of blood, he managed to crash land his Snipe within the safety of the British lines. For his actions that day, Barker received the Victoria Cross (VC).
Barker died in a flying accident in 1930. He stalled a Fairchild KR-21 trainer at the top of a loop and, with insufficent altitude to recover, crashed into the frozen Ottawa River at the Rockliffe Air Station."


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A great piece of history.

Capt, Thanks for sharing this great information.