Alfred Ernest Barker was the son of Daniel George and Barbara Susan Barker; husband of Phyllis Irene Barker, of Braintree, Essex. He enlisted in the Royal Army Service Corps, and volunteered for Airborne forces.

Corporal Barker successfully completed Air Dispatcher training and was posted to 253 (Airborne) Divisional Composite Company, Royal Army Service Corps, and took part in Operation Market Garden (Arnhem).

Cpl Barker died of wounds on 18 September 1944, aged 31, when Stirling LJ – 594 of 570 Squadron based at Harwell was hit by Flak on the way to the DZ, and it made an emergency landing at Zegge, near Bosschenhoofd.

Cpl Barker was wounded in the head, and taken to the hospital in Roosendaal, where he died the same day. (Roll of Honour, 5th Edition, 2011). Cpl Barker was buried at Roosendaal-En-Nispen General Cemetery.