Brigadier John Ewart Trounce Barbary, O.B.E., T.D., A.D.C.,. D.L., died suddenly on February 5th, 1945, at the age of 58.
He was educated at the Camborne Sciences and Arts School, and received his, professional training at the Camborne School of Mines, taking a special course for work on explosives to enable him to qualify for a position with Messrs. Bickford, Smith & Co., Ltd. He joined the staff of that Company in 1907, holding the post of chief metallurgist and head of the research department at Camborne, until 1914.
On the outbreak of war, he was mobilized with the Royal Garrison Artillery (Territorial). He was appointed to the Director of Artillery’s Department, War Office, and in 1916 was transferred to the technical staff of the Controller of Gun Ammunition at the Ministry of Munitions, with the rank of captain.
After the war he resumed his association with Messrs. Bickford, Smith & Co. (later incorporated in I.C.I. (Explosives), Ltd.), and a number of years ago, following the death of Mr. W. N. Bickford-Smith, was appointed works manager, retaining that position to the time of his death.
He continued his military career after the Great War, being given command, as major, of two batteries of the Royal Artillery, Territorial Army. He was promoted lieutenant-colonel in 1928, and in 1932 received further promotion to brevet-colonel, continuing in command of a battery of the Cornish Heavy Brigade, R.A., until 1933 when it was amalgamated with the Devon Brigade. He was recalled the next year to command the 56th Anti-Aircraft Brigade, and in 1939 he was promoted brigadier and entrusted with the command of an Anti-Aircraft Group with headquarters at Plymouth, and when war broke out he commanded the whole of the anti-aircraft coast defences in a large part of Southern England. He remained in this responsible position until 1942, when he retired from the Army and returned to his civilian work. He was, however, appointed commander of the Mid-Cornwall Sector of the Home Guard.
Brigadier Barbary had always devoted much of his life to public and religious work in the county, and it is believed that the energy with which he fulfilled his many engagements put too great a strain on his endurance. He was made an M.B.E. for services at the Ministry of Munitions during the Great War, and in 1923 received the O.B.E., while in 1939 he was awarded the C.B.E. (Military Division). In November, 1942, he was appointed a Deputy-Lieutenant for Cornwall, and in the following July he became Aide-do-Camp to the King (additional, Territorial Army).
Brigadier Barbary was elected an Associate of the Institution in 1919.
Vol. 55, Trans I.M.M. 1945-6, p. 560
