Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Thomas Shimilt Barker a bricklayer, born on the 16th April 1858 in Castle Donington, Leicestershire and his wife Sarah Ellen Barker (nee Atkin, married in the 4th quarter of 1878 in the General Baptist Chapel, Castle Donington, Leicestershire), born on the 12th September 1857 in Shepshed, Leicestershire. Edgar Leonard was born in the 2nd quarter of 1893 in Castle Donington, his siblings were, Arthur Thomas Barker Atkin, a bricklayer’s labourer, born in the 2nd quarter of 1877, George Everard, a brewery labourer, born in the 1st quarter of 1881, Henry Percival, a bricklayer, born on the 28th October 1884, Charles Frederick, a tailor’s apprentice, born in the 1st quarter of 1886, Ada, a hosiery trade worker, born on the 17th December 1887, William Hallam, born on the 21st January 1890, Douglas, born in the 3rd quarter of 1891, Sidney, born on the 10th November 1896, Ernest Norman, born in the 3rd quarter of 1898 and Gilbert Baden, born on the 20th May 1900, all his siblings were born in Castle Donington, in March 1901 the family home was at 3, Victoria Street, Castle Donington. In April 1911 Edgar was employed as a jobbing gardener and was residing in the family home in Bondgate, Castle Donington, together with his father, a bricklayer, his mother and siblings, Arthur, a bricklayer’s labourer, Ada, a hosiery trade overlocker, William, a painter, Sidney, Norman, Gilbert and Herbert, born on the 24th February 1902 in Castle Donington. Edgar also had an older sibling, Ethel Annie, born on the 20th June 1879 in Castle Donington.
Edgar’s older brother George Everard, fell in action on the 25th September 1916.
Edgar’s Army enlistment documents do not survive, all that is known of his military service is that he enlisted as a Territorial into the Leicestershire Regiment, being allotted the service number 1515, and was posted as a Private to that Regiment’s Depot for training, subsequently being posted to the 1/5th Battalion. It was with this Battalion that he first entered the theatre of war in France on the 28th February 1915. Under the Army Council Instruction of 1917 that promulgated a new numbering system for all Territorial Force units, he was allotted the service number 240157. Nothing further is known of his military service until he was officially recorded as being killed in action on the 4th May 1917, while serving with the 1/5th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment. He was buried in Bully-Grenay Communal Cemetery, British Extension, France. He was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Allied Victory Medal.
The War Diary for records: 4 May-17 - CITE ST. PIERRE in close support. The distribution of water caused some difficulties in this sector. The transport however was able to reach Battalion Headquarters at M.11.b. 55.45.