Pte 25340 Thomas William Baker (MM)

Thomas William Baker was born on 12th October 1893 at 11 Severn Street off St. Domingo Rd, Everton Brow, to Liverpool born painter William Baker and his Liverpool born wife Mary Ann (nee Naylor). They were married on 17th May 1891 at St. Peters Church Liverpool  and went on to have 6 boys and 3 girls.Their 6th child Mary Elizabeth Baker died in 1905 aged 3. Thomas was their 2nd eldest child of 9 and he was baptised Thomas William on 07th January 1894 at St. Matthew's, Church of England on Scotland Road Liverpool. However, the Army records do not reflect his second Christian name of William. 

 

 

 

On 1st August 1914 he was a witness at the wedding of his elder brother Robert James Baker to next door neighbour Annie Felton at St Bridgets Church Wavertree.

 

Thomas enlisted in Liverpool as Private 25340 joining the 19th (Pals) Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment.

 

His brother George Edward Baker enlisted as Private 32180 joining the Prince of Wales's Volunteers South Lancashire Regiment later transferring to the Somerset Light Infantry as Private. 39160

 

He appears in a photo after his medal award at the front gate of Automatic Telephone Manufacturing Co.Ltd Milton Road off Edge Lane Wavertree which may have been his place of work prior to enlisting.

On 18th June 1917 his award of the Military Medal is listed in the London Gazette and on 19th June 1917 the Liverpool Echo also lists his award of the M. M.

 

He was killed in action on 28th March 1918, aged 24, during the German Spring Offensive.

The Battalion diary records the events of the day as follows:

During the morning the enemy attacked the troops on our right flank and succeeded in capturing ARVILLERS, menacing our right flank. Three companies of the Battalion had to be immediately echeloned backwards as protection, the Battalion engaging the enemy, who were attempting to come out of ARVILLERS. This position was held during heavy fighting until 2pm when the Battalion was informed that French troops had come into position in the rear. In order for the Division to be relieved the Battalion had to hold their ground whilst the 2^nd Bedfordshire Regt and 2^nd Bn. R.S.F.’s passed through on their way to the rear. At 4pm the Battalion commenced to move off in small parties, passing through the French, and marching through MEZIERES, MOREUIL to MORISEL where hot dinner was provided. The Battalion then formed up and moved up by companies to ROUVREL and were billeted for the night. By this time the total casualties had reached 23 Officers and 457 O.R.

Thomas' body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial in France.

The POZIERES MEMORIAL relates to the period of crisis in March and April 1918 when the Allied Fifth Army was driven back by overwhelming numbers across the former Somme battlefields, and the months that followed before the Advance to Victory, which began on 8 August 1918. The Memorial commemorates over 14,000 casualties of the United Kingdom and 300 of the South African Forces who have no known grave and who died on the Somme from 21 March to 7 August 1918.

The cemetery and memorial were designed by W.H. Cowlishaw, with sculpture by Laurence A. Turner. The memorial was unveiled by Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien on 4 August 1930. 

His Army Pay of £15:14s:3d is sent to his father William on 13 June 1918 and a War Gratuity of £14:15s is also sent to his father on 28 November 1919

 

A Dependents Pension is paid to his mother wrongly shown as Mary Elizabeth Baker of 4 Oak Street Wavertree and not as Mary Ann Baker

 

The CWGC site wrongly shows him as the Son of Mr William and Mary E Baker.

 

The Everard Wyrall History of the King's Volume III wrongly lists his Death as Pte. 35240 and not 25340.

 

We currently have no further information on Thomas William Baker, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.