Biography Flight Sergeant Eleanor Maud Barker WAAF

881177 Flight Sergeant Eleanor Maud Barker WAAF

Rank	Flight Sergeant
Name & Decorations	Eleanor Maud Barker (nee Edwards)
Service	Womens’ Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF)
Unit	RAF Hospital Rauceby
Attached To	Technical Training Command RAF
Operation	N/A
Date of Death	30 September 1944
Place of Death	RAF Hospital Rauceby, Rauceby,Lincs.
Circumstances	Died from injuries received in a traffic collision
Age	26
Buried or commemorated at	Sleaford Cemetery, Sleaford, Lincs.
Grave or Memorial Number	Section AA: Grave 145

Daughter of George and Eleanor Edwards of Romford, Essex. She had a twin brother George Norman Edwards, and an elder brother Edward William Edwards who was about two years older than her. (1921 census).

She was the wife of Kenneth George Barker 93/9/1919-10/8/2009) of Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, whom she married on 4^th August 1943 at Quarrington Parish Church. Kenneth was an RAF Clerk who also worked at RAF Hospital Rauceby, where Eleanor was a senior storekeeper..

Circumstances of Death: Road Accident.

On 30 September 1944, Eleanor and an RAF Sgt colleague Sgt Stanley Ackroyd were cycling along Sleaford Road near Rauceby at night when they were struck from behind by a passing US Army Air Force lorry. Sgt Stanley Ackroyd was hit first, and his bicycle was carried forward into FS Barker. Tragically, Maud later died of head injuries in RAF Hospital Rauceby where she worked.

(Source: Jon Heyworth https://forum.rafcommands.com/forum/unaccounted-airmen-and-airwomen-project/1944/17043-440930-unaccounted-airwoman-airmen-30-9-1944#post247990)

(Image of grave to follow).