Major Ronald Maxwell Barker, CD was born in Cobourg, Ontario in 1932. While receiving his primary and secondary education, he was a member of the Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps (Brantford) and of the 56th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (D&H Rifles), RCA (Reserve).
He enrolled in the Canadian Regular Army as an Officer Cadet in September 1952. He was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in January 1954, assigned regimental affiliation with the QOR and posted to its 1st Battalion in Calgary, Alberta as a platoon commander.
He married Joyce Edwards in December 1954 and subsequently had two daughters, Andrea and Tonia, born in 1958 and 1959.
In September 1955, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant.
He was employed on Regimental duty from 1954 to 1964 in Canada, Korea and Germany in various appointments, including Rifle Platoon Commander, Assistant Adjutant, Assault Pioneer Platoon Commander, Assistant Chief Instructor, Regimental Depot, Liaison Officer (CDN) and ADC to the Division Commander, HQ 1 Commonwealth Division and Rifle Company Commander.
He was promoted to the rank of Captain in 1961.
In 1964, he was seconded to the Government of Ghana for employment with the Armed Forces of Ghana as Chief Tactics Instructor at the Ghanaian School of Infantry. There, he conducted Senior NCO, Platoon and Company Commander Courses, and also Small Arms Courses.
Returning to Canada in 1966, he was posted to the 1st Battalion, QOR, Victoria, BC which was part of ACE Mobile Force where he served as a Rifle Company Commander.
In 1967, he was promoted to the rank of Major and given command of the APC Company and then in 1968 was appointed to command the Battalion Support Company. He accompanied the Battalion to and from Norway during Exercise Polar Express.
In 1969, he was posted to CFB Edmonton as Base Personnel Administration Officer and held that appointment until posted as a student to the Canadian Forces Staff College in Toronto, Ontario. He was awarded his PFSC in July 1972.
Staff College was followed by a two-year tour as a member of the Directing Staff at the Canadian Forces Junior Staff School in Toronto.
He served as both Senior Staff Officer (Regular) and Senior Staff Officer Operations and Training at Headquarters London Militia District from July 1974 until September 1978. There, he was able to bring Maverick, the family’s beloved Cairn Terrier, to his workplace.
His last posting was to Ottawa, Ontario in September 1978 where he was a Staff Officer at the Directorate of Reserves at NDHQ, with primary responsibility for the Canadian Forces Militia. He was also the Officer of Prime Interest for the Parliament Hill Ceremonial Guard.
From August 1983 until his retirement in 1987, he was a Staff Officer with the Army Doctrine Section, Directorate of Land Combat Development, CLDO at NDHQ. He was responsible for the production, amendment and review of four army doctrine manuals, one of which was a new manual entitled ‘Aid of the Civil Power’. He was also the representative for army terminology on a number of Canadian Forces and NATO committees.
At the time of his retirement from the Canadian Forces in June 1987, Major Ronald M. Barker, CD was the last serving regular Force officer to wear the Queen’s Own Rifles’ (QOR) regimental badges. He received both a congratulatory telex (see below) and a commemorative silver tray advising him that he would be remembered for this distinction.
After retirement, he moved from Ottawa to White Rock, B.C., with his spouse Joyce.
He was an avid military miniaturist and was a member of the Ontario Model Soldier Society.
Major Barker died on 15 July 1989.
In 1995, he was posthumously awarded the Special Service Medal with the ‘Peace’ and ‘NATO’ bars recognizing his service in support of NATO and of peacekeeping operations.
The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada Regimental Museum and Archive 