Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

Frederick Barter VC MC (17 January 1891 – 15 May 1953) was a

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

officer and a Welsh recipient of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...

(VC), the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

and

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the 15th century. Originally a phrase (the common-wealth ...

forces. He was "born at 60 Daniel Street, Cathays,

Cardiff Cardiff (; ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. Cardiff had a population of in and forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area officially known as the City and County of Ca ...

, one of three children born to Mr and Mrs Samuel Barter". His initial education was at Crwys Road Board School in Cardiff and, "after working as a collier and later as a porter on the

Great Western Railway The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a History of rail transport in Great Britain, British railway company that linked London with the southwest, west and West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, ...

", Barter joined the

as a

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * "In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorded ...

in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers (later the

Royal Welch Fusiliers The Royal Welch Fusiliers () was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, and part of the Prince of Wales's Division, that was founded in 1689, shortly after the Glorious Revolution. In 1702, it was designated a fusilier regiment and becam ...

) in December 1908. After completing his terms of service he transferred to the army's

Special Reserve The Special Reserve was established on 1 April 1908 with the function of maintaining a reservoir of manpower for the British Army and training replacement drafts in times of war. Its formation was part of the military reforms implemented by Ri ...

before "working as a stove repairer for the Cardiff Gas Light & Coke Company" when the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

broke out in the summer of 1914. On 5 August, the day after the British declaration of war on Germany, Barter was mobilised for service with the 1st Battalion of the RWF. The battalion "landed at

Zeebrugge Zeebrugge (; from , meaning "Bruges-on-Sea"; , ) is a village on the coast of Belgium and a subdivision of Bruges, for which it is the modern port. Zeebrugge serves as both the international port of Bruges-Zeebrugge and a seafront resort with ...

on 7 October" and, "by the 30th of the month", had been "reduced to 86 men and one officer after heavy fighting at

Zonnebeke Zonnebeke (; ) is a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality located in the Belgium, Belgian Provinces of Belgium, province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the villages of , , Passendale, Zandvoorde (Zonnebeke), Zandvoorde and Zonnebek ...

and Zandvoorde". He was 24 years old, and a

company sergeant major The company sergeant major (CSM) is the senior non-commissioned soldier of a company in the armies of many Commonwealth countries, responsible for administration, standards and discipline. In combat, their prime responsibility is the supply of ...

in the Special Reserve, The Royal Welch Fusiliers, British Army, attached to the 1st Battalion, The Royal Welch Fusiliers during the

when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. On 16 May 1915 at

Festubert Festubert () is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France southwest of Lille. The village was on the Western Front during the First World War and was largely destroyed in the May 1915 Battle of Festubert ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

, Company Sergeant-Major Barter, when in the first line of German trenches, called for volunteers to enable him to extend our line, and with the eight men who responded, he attacked the German position with bombs, capturing three German officers, 102 men and 500 yards of their trenches. He subsequently found and cut 11 of the enemy's mine leads situated about 20 yards apart. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Special Reserve, The Royal Welch Fusiliers, 26 August 1915. On 16 March 1917 he was seconded on probation with the Indian Army and was attached to the 4th battalion 3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles, with seniority as a Second Lieutenant of 26 May 1916.January 1919 Indian Army List He was promoted Lieutenant 26 May 1917. He was awarded the

Military Cross The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level until 1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) Other ranks (UK), other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth of ...

in the London Gazette 26 July 1918. The MC's citation reads as follows: He was admitted to the Indian Army on 6 May 1918, promoted

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

on 26 May 1920 and retired from the Indian Army on 5 November 1922. His VC is displayed at the Royal Welch Fusiliers Museum at

Caernarfon Castle Caernarfon Castle (; ) is a medieval fortress in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. The first fortification on the site was a motte-and-bailey castle built in the late 11th century, which King Edward I of England began to replace with the current st ...

References

Bibliography

* * * *

External links

Burial location of Frederick Barter
"Dorset"

"Royal Welch Fusiliers Museum" {{DEFAULTSORT:Barter, Frederick 1891 births 1952 deaths Military personnel from Cardiff British Army personnel of World War I Indian Army personnel of World War I British World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross Royal Welch Fusiliers soldiers Royal Welch Fusiliers officers Recipients of the Military Cross British Indian Army officers Recipients of the Cross of St. George British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross Welsh recipients of the Victoria Cross Great Western Railway people