Sydney Barker

GEDCOM Note

2/Lieut. S.Barker. R.A.F. 204 Squadron flying Sopwith Camels. WW1 history of 204 Squadron. No. 4 Squadron Royal Naval Air Service was formed on 25 March 1915 at Dover from the former RNAS Defence Flight. In August 1915 the squadron moved to Eastchurch where it was re-designated as No. 4 Wing RNAS. The squadron was reformed on 31December 1916 at Coudekerque just outside Dunkirk, France to operate the Sopwith 1½ Strutter. In March 1917 the squadron re-equipped with the Sopwith Pup before it moved to Bray-Dunes, not far away on the French-side of the Franco-Belgian border. In June 1917 the squadron re-equipped again with the Sopwith Camel.

In January 1918 the squadron made a temporary move to Walmer in Kent to rest and refit before returning to the front at Bray-Dunes in March 1918. On the formation of the Royal Air Force on 1 April 1918 the squadron was re-designated No. 204Squadron. The squadron moved around some of the aerodromes around Dunkirk before settling at Téteghem in May 1918. In October 1918 the squadron moved forward to Heule in Flanders until the end of the war. In February 1919 the surviving personal returned to RAF Waddington in England before being disbanded in December 1919.