▁Japanese , ▁Scottish , ▁Mal ay ▁and ▁German ▁descent . ▁His ▁great - gre at ▁grand father ▁was ▁Thomas ▁O wen ▁C rane ▁( 1 7 9 9 - 1 8 6 9 ), ▁an ▁Irish man ▁and ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁ten ▁Europe ans ▁to ▁sett le ▁in ▁Singapore ▁and ▁his ▁great - gre at - gre at ▁grand father ▁was ▁Sir ▁( Dr ) ▁Jose ▁D ▁Al me ida , ▁( 1 7 8 4 - 1 8 5 0 ), ▁a ▁Portuguese ▁doctor ▁and ▁well - known ▁business man ▁in ▁early ▁Singapore . ▁ ▁B ark er ▁was ▁educated ▁at ▁Ser ango on ▁English ▁School ▁and ▁R aff les ▁Institution , ▁before ▁going ▁on ▁to ▁R aff les ▁College ▁( a ▁prede cess or ▁institution ▁of ▁the ▁present - day ▁National ▁University ▁of ▁Singapore ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 0 . ▁A ▁tal ented ▁sports ▁player , ▁B ark er ▁was ▁selected ▁to ▁represent ▁Singapore ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁national ▁hockey ▁team ▁while ▁he ▁was ▁still ▁a ▁school boy . ▁He ▁is ▁also ▁known ▁as ▁a ▁guitar ▁player . ▁ ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁B ark er ▁tra ve led ▁to ▁Th ailand ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁medical ▁health ▁unit ▁which ▁was ▁sent ▁to ▁look ▁after ▁Al lied ▁P OW s ▁working ▁on ▁the ▁Bur ma - S iam ▁Railway . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁war , ▁B ark er ▁was ▁awarded ▁a ▁Queen ' s ▁Sch olar ship ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 6 ▁to ▁study ▁in