Sgt
Arthur Alfred Baron Baldwin
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 08/01/1895 |
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Place of birth: Surry Hills, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
General information
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Profession: Carpenter |
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Religion: Church of England |
Army information
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Country: Australia |
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Force: Australian Imperial Force |
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Rank: Sergeant |
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Service number: 43 |
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Enlistment date: 19/08/1914 |
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Enlistment place: Paddington, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
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Units: — Australian Engineers, 1st Field Coy. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 21/09/1917 |
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Place of death: Lone House, Veldhoek, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 22 |
Cemetery
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Tyne Cot Cemetery Plot: XLII Row: F Grave: 21 |
Distinctions and medals 4
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1914-15 Star Medal |
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British War Medal Medal |
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Order Of Karageorge, 3rd Class (Serbia) Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 3
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place | ||
| #3 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Arthur Alfred Baron Baldwin was born on January 8, 1895, in Surrey Hills, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. He was the son of Kate Baldwin and Arthur John Baldwin. Before the war, he worked as a carpenter. Shortly after the outbreak of the war, on August 19, 1914, he decided to enlist. He was assigned to No. 1 Section, 1st Field Company, Australian Engineers.
On September 21, 1917, the men of No. 1 Section were in the Hooge region. There, they received orders to move to the front line at Lone House, south of Polygon Wood. They arrived around 4 a.m. in the sector manned by two platoons of A Company, 5th Australian Infantry Battalion. The engineers' task was to extend the communication trench that ran from Strong Point A. By 2 p.m., the communication trench was completed. Between 4 a.m. and 2 p.m., the engineers were subjected to repeated artillery fire and sniper attacks.
Around 2:30 p.m., the engineers were ordered back to the Strong Point to carry out further works. Around the same time, a German bombardment began, intensifying between 4:30 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. Later that evening, No. 1 Section was relieved by the 2nd Field Company, Australian Engineers. When the unit regrouped at Clapham Junction, it became clear that Sergeant Baldwin was still at the Strong Point. Lieutenants McConnel and Lyddon decided to return to Lone House with two others. They found several bodies but could not identify them in the dark. They decided to return to Hooge and continue the search the next day.
Sergeant Baldwin fell victim to the bombardments that day. He died along with Corporal Hamilton when a shell struck their shelter. Throughout the day, Baldwin had made efforts to keep morale high, continuously motivating the men during the bombardments. He was 22 when he was killed. After the war, he was reburied at Tyne Cot Cemetery, plot XLII, row F, grave 21.
On September 21, 1917, the men of No. 1 Section were in the Hooge region. There, they received orders to move to the front line at Lone House, south of Polygon Wood. They arrived around 4 a.m. in the sector manned by two platoons of A Company, 5th Australian Infantry Battalion. The engineers' task was to extend the communication trench that ran from Strong Point A. By 2 p.m., the communication trench was completed. Between 4 a.m. and 2 p.m., the engineers were subjected to repeated artillery fire and sniper attacks.
Around 2:30 p.m., the engineers were ordered back to the Strong Point to carry out further works. Around the same time, a German bombardment began, intensifying between 4:30 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. Later that evening, No. 1 Section was relieved by the 2nd Field Company, Australian Engineers. When the unit regrouped at Clapham Junction, it became clear that Sergeant Baldwin was still at the Strong Point. Lieutenants McConnel and Lyddon decided to return to Lone House with two others. They found several bodies but could not identify them in the dark. They decided to return to Hooge and continue the search the next day.
Sergeant Baldwin fell victim to the bombardments that day. He died along with Corporal Hamilton when a shell struck their shelter. Throughout the day, Baldwin had made efforts to keep morale high, continuously motivating the men during the bombardments. He was 22 when he was killed. After the war, he was reburied at Tyne Cot Cemetery, plot XLII, row F, grave 21.
Sources 3
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1st Field Company, Australian Engineers, (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM4 14/20/33). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used |
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Australian Red Cross Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), RCDIG1037776). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used |
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First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920, (National Archives of Australia, Canberra (NAA), B2455, BALDWIN A A B). https://www.naa.gov.au/ Sources used |
More information 4
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CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/461805 |
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The AIF Project (UNSW Canberra) https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=11887 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=5d03fee3-124e-4ee6-9dd1-502b79bf7320 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/7348251 |