Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of John Barsby a tailor, born in the 4th quarter of 1858 in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire and his wife Ellen Barsby (nee Gosling, married on the 19th September 1881 in St. John the Evangelist Church, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire), born on the 14th December 1857 in Mansfield and baptised on the 5th August 1868 in St. John the Evangelist Church, Mansfield. Eric Graham was born in the 2nd quarter of 1897 in Loughborough, Leicestershire and was baptised on the 6th July 1897 in All Saint’s Church, Loughborough, his siblings were, Beatrice Eleanor, a tailoress, born on the 8th November 1882 and baptised on the 25th December 1882 in the Parish Church, Derby, Frances Edith Rose, a school teacher, born on the 20th July 1884, Ethel Mary, a shirt machinist, born 1886, Jane Gurnel, born on the 3rd December 1889 and Marion May born in the 2nd quarter of 1891 and baptised on the 13th August 1891 in the Parish Church, Derby, the latter five siblings were all born in Derby, William Donald, born in the 2nd quarter of 1893, John Ernest, born in the 2nd quarter of 1895 and baptised on the 8th June 1896 in All Saint’s Church, Loughborough and Gladys Dorothy, born on the 20th April 1899 and baptised on the 2nd July 1899 in All Saint’s Church, Loughborough, the latter three siblings were all born in Loughborough, in March 1901 the family home was at 18, Havelock Street, Loughborough. Eric’s father died on the 3rd July 1904 in Loughborough, aged 45. In April 1911 Eric, was employed as an office boy and was residing in the family home at 22, Havelock Street, Loughborough, together with his widowed mother and siblings, Frances, an elementary school teacher, Ethel, Jane, an elementary school teacher, Marion, a hosiery trade worker, William, a stores clerk, John, a pattern fitter and Cyril Vernon, born on the 15th March 1902 in Loughborough. Eric had an older sibling, Gertrude Agnes who was born in the 2nd quarter of 1888 in Derby and was baptised on the 29th April 1888 in the Parish Church, Derby and who died in the 2nd quarter of 1890 in Derby, aged two. Eric’s older brother John Ernest was killed in action on the 10th September 1915.
Eric’s Army enlistment documents do not survive, all that is known of his military service is that he enlisted in Loughborough into the Leicestershire Regiment (Territorial Force), being allotted the service number 2140, and was posted as a Private to the 1/5th Battalion. He was, on a date unknown transferred as a Private to the 7th Service Battalion of the Leicestershire Regiment, however, as no records exist it cannot be determined on what date, or with which Battalion he embarked to join the British Expeditionary Force in France. He was not recorded on the medal rolls for the 1914-15 Star, so the date of his embarkation would have been after the 31st December 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 240411, nothing further is known of his military service until he was officially recorded as being killed in action on Monday, 24th December, 1917, while serving with the 7th Battalion of the Leicestershire Regiment. He was buried in Epehy Wood Farm Cemetery, Epehy, France. Eric was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
The War Diary records: 24 Dec-17 - FRONT LINE, X.20.c. – 26.a. 5.30am. 11 killed and 21 wounded (gassed) by a gas shell (5.9) on a cellar.