Mexborough and Swinton Times, 25 January 1919

Missing Wombwell Soldier.
No News from Germany.

Bombardier George Barker
Royal Field Artillery

Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Barker, 2, Park View, Wombwell are anxious for news concerning their son, Bdr. Mark Barker, 831708, “C'” Battery, 106th Brigade R.F.A.

Bdr Barker joined the Wentworth Brigade R.H.A., in the early days of the war and was drafted to France nearly three years ago. The last letter they received from him was dated 16th March, 1918, and since then an intimation has been received from the War Office that he was wounded in the back by shrapnel on the 25th March, 1918, taken to the 53rd clearing station, and was afterwards sent to the base.

After that nothing was heard until this week when a letter was received from the German Red Cross Society. The letter reads as follows:—”The name of the subject of the enquiry is not specified in the official list of prisoners of war buried by German troops which we have before us. His identity cannot he established and if he has not yet sent any news to his relatives, inspite of the existing permission. to write from all German camps and prisoners’ hospitals, the assumption is that he neither is, nor has been. a prisoner in Germany.”