Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of John Francis Barber, a stay cutter, born in the July quarter of 1866 in East Haddon, Northamptonshire (son of Richard Barber, 1834 and Harriett Pywell, 1840) and his wife Harriet Jane Barber (nee Loakes, married on the 10th April 1890 in the Parish Church, Market Harborough, Leicestershire), born in the January quarter of 1864 in Oundle, Northamptonshire and baptised on the 3rd April 1864 in St. Peter’s Church, Oundle (daughter of Thomas Loakes, 1830-1903 and Ann Cooper, 1833). Eustace Cooper was born in the October quarter of 1893 and baptised on the 5th November 1893 in the Parish Church, Market Harborough, his siblings were, Francis Richard Pywell, born in the April quarter of 1891 and baptised on the 12th April 1891 in the Parish Church, Market Harborough and Arthur Edwin, born in the October quarter of 1895 in Market Harborough and baptised on the 29th September in the Parish Church, Market Harborough, both siblings were born in Market Harborough, in March 1901 the family home was at 3, Hearth Street, Market Harborough.
His younger brother Arthur died on the 10th May 1917 from wounds received in action.
FAMILY NOTES: No trace can be found of the family whereabouts for the April 1911 census, but the family are recorded in the June 1921 census residing at 3, Hearth Street, Market Harborough.
Eustace’s army service enlistment documents do not survive, therefore the currently available information pertaining to his military service has been obtained from the following sources: - 1921 HMSO Publication, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914 - 1919, WW1 Service Medal and Award Rolls, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, WW1 Medal Rolls Index Cards, WW1 Pension Ledgers and Index Cards and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Registers.
Enlisted/Attested in Market Harborough into the Regular Army. Date not known.
Joined. At Leicester. Date not known.
Posted. To Depot Leicestershire Regt. Pte. Date not known.
Allotted the Regimental Service number 10903.
Posted. To 6th (Service) Bn. Leicestershire Regt. Pte. Date not known.
First entered the theatre of war in France.29/7/15.
Transferred. To 1st Bn. South Staffordshire Regt. Pte. Date not known.
Allotted the Regimental Service number 32504.
Wounded in action. In the Field. Date not known.
Died of wounds. 11/1/17.
Buried in Varennes Military cemetery, Somme, France. Headstone inscription. “Thy will be done.”
Awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In the event of his death, Eustace nominated his father John Barber, as his sole legatee.
[recognitum I-IV-MMXXIV]