L/Cpl
Ernest Baker
Information about birth
|
Year of birth: 1886 |
|
Place of birth: Bolton, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom |
General information
|
Profession: Storekeeper |
|
Religion: Church of England |
Army information
|
Country: Australia |
|
Force: Australian Imperial Force |
|
Rank: Lance Corporal |
|
Service number: 455 |
|
Enlistment date: 30/03/1916 |
|
Enlistment place: Mildura, Victoria, Australia |
|
Units: — Australian Infantry, 38th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
|
Date of death: 12/10/1917 |
|
Place of death: Decoy Wood, Belgium |
|
Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
|
Age: 31 |
Cemetery
|
Tyne Cot Cemetery Plot: XXVI Row: F Grave: 8 |
Distinctions and medals 3
|
1914-15 Star Medal |
|
British War Medal Medal |
|
Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 3
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place | ||
| #3 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Ernest Baker was born in 1886 in Bolton, Lancashire, United Kingdom. He was the son of John and Elizabeth Baker. However, the Baker family did not remain in the United Kingdom and moved to Australia. There, Ernest took up the profession of shopkeeper. On March 30, 1916, Ernest reported to the recruitment depot to enlist in the Australian Imperial Force. He was assigned to A Company, 38th Battalion (10th Brigade, 3rd Division).
Ernest Baker was killed in action on October 12, 1917, during the First Battle of Passchendaele, part of the Battle of Passchendaele. This was during the first attempt to capture the village. The 38th Battalion had been assigned the third and final objective: the capture of Passchendaele itself and the consolidation of a line east of the village. Eight days earlier, they had already fought in the Battle of Broodseinde, during which the ridge was taken.
At 10:45 p.m. on October 11, the battalion set out for the front lines. On their way, they immediately encountered heavy artillery fire, which caused the first casualties. The next day, around 3 a.m., they reached their positions near Hamburg and Waterfields. Two platoons from A Company were to attack along the right flank, and two platoons from B Company along the left flank. They were followed by moppers-up from D Company. The remaining platoons of A and B Companies formed the second wave, followed in turn by moppers-up from C Company.
While waiting for the attack to commence, the Australians again came under artillery fire, causing further casualties. The attack began at 5:25 a.m. The battalion advanced in the footsteps of the 40th Battalion, which had Waterfields as its objective. Soon they came under fire from bunkers in the Bellevue sector. A group led by Lieutenant James Richard Munday fought their way across the Ravebeek and the marshy terrain. They managed to silence several bunkers. However, this made little difference to the outcome of the battle. Later, the survivors of the 38th joined those of the 37th and 40th Battalions, and the order was given to retreat to their starting positions. The attack was halted partly due to the failure of the New Zealanders to reach their objectives and the heavy losses. By 3 p.m., the survivors were back at their starting positions. The next day, the 41st Battalion relieved them.
The battle on October 12 cost the 38th Battalion dearly. The casualties were: 11 killed, 270 wounded, and 101 missing. Ernest was initially reported missing but was later declared killed in action. He had been shot in the head and died instantly. After the war, his body was found near Decoy Wood and reburied at Tyne Cot Cemetery, Plot XXVI, Row F, Grave 8.
Ernest Baker was killed in action on October 12, 1917, during the First Battle of Passchendaele, part of the Battle of Passchendaele. This was during the first attempt to capture the village. The 38th Battalion had been assigned the third and final objective: the capture of Passchendaele itself and the consolidation of a line east of the village. Eight days earlier, they had already fought in the Battle of Broodseinde, during which the ridge was taken.
At 10:45 p.m. on October 11, the battalion set out for the front lines. On their way, they immediately encountered heavy artillery fire, which caused the first casualties. The next day, around 3 a.m., they reached their positions near Hamburg and Waterfields. Two platoons from A Company were to attack along the right flank, and two platoons from B Company along the left flank. They were followed by moppers-up from D Company. The remaining platoons of A and B Companies formed the second wave, followed in turn by moppers-up from C Company.
While waiting for the attack to commence, the Australians again came under artillery fire, causing further casualties. The attack began at 5:25 a.m. The battalion advanced in the footsteps of the 40th Battalion, which had Waterfields as its objective. Soon they came under fire from bunkers in the Bellevue sector. A group led by Lieutenant James Richard Munday fought their way across the Ravebeek and the marshy terrain. They managed to silence several bunkers. However, this made little difference to the outcome of the battle. Later, the survivors of the 38th joined those of the 37th and 40th Battalions, and the order was given to retreat to their starting positions. The attack was halted partly due to the failure of the New Zealanders to reach their objectives and the heavy losses. By 3 p.m., the survivors were back at their starting positions. The next day, the 41st Battalion relieved them.
The battle on October 12 cost the 38th Battalion dearly. The casualties were: 11 killed, 270 wounded, and 101 missing. Ernest was initially reported missing but was later declared killed in action. He had been shot in the head and died instantly. After the war, his body was found near Decoy Wood and reburied at Tyne Cot Cemetery, Plot XXVI, Row F, Grave 8.
Sources 2
|
38th Australian Infantry Battalion, (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM4 23/55/17). https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1338583 Sources used |
|
First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920, (National Archives of Australia, Canberra (NAA), B2455, BAKER E). https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/SearchScreens/NameSearch.aspx Sources used |
More information 4
|
Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/7333332 |
|
Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/461800 |
|
The AIF Project (UNSW Canberra) https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=11174 |
|
Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=c6a69409-d2f2-4b60-9dac-d165358c0313 |