Name
Albert Arthur Baker
20 July 1879
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
02/09/1918
38 years
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
1031083
Canadian Infantry
72 Battalion (British Columbia Regiment)
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
WANCOURT BRITISH CEMETERY
II.D.5
France
Headstone Inscription
"IN LOVING MEMORY OF MY DEAR HUSBAND"
UK & Other Memorials
Hatfield Town Memorial, Welwyn Garden City Memorial, Hatfield Hyde Village Memorial, St. Mary Magdalene, Church Memorial, Hatfield Hyde
Pre War
Albert Arthur Baker was born in Hatfield Hyde, Herts, on 20 July 1879, the son of Henry Baker (b 1847 in Hatfield) and Sarah Baker (nee Warner) (b 1842 in Hatfield Hyde). He was one of seven children and was baptised on the 7 September 1879.
On the 1881 Census the family were living at Mill Green, Hatfield, at the Mill Green Beer House, where his father was working as General Labourer. They remained there in 1891 when the address was given as the Green Man (The Mill Green Beer House renamed) and his mother was the Beer House Keeper. Albert and his father were working as farm labourers.
In 1897, Albert emigrated to the USA, leaving Liverpool on 8 July, aboard the S.S. Scythia, arriving in Boston, Massachusetts on 18 July 1897.
On 25 December 1909, Albert married Margaret Louisa Kane, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
At the time of his enlistment in 1917, he was working as a Grocery Clerk and lived at 47 Rice Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
Wartime Service
Upon hearing of the proclamation of war with Germany on 4 August 1914 Lieutenant Colonel Edwards-Leckie, commanding officer of the Seaforth Highlanders, immediately offered the regiment for overseas service. His request was denied, and instead the regiment provided 25 officers and 514 men for the 16th Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force, forming almost half the battalion. While waiting for permission for the Seaforths to go overseas the regiment recruited and deployed an additional 41 officers and 1637 men to numerous battalions.
Finally on 18 July Major J.A. Clark was appointed as the commander of the 72nd Battalion CEF Seaforth Highlanders of Canada and ordered to begin training for overseas service. The regiment travelled east through Ottawa to the United Kingdom and on 18 August 1916, the Seaforths were in France. Receiving the number 72nd Battalion made the Seaforths the only Canadian regiment in World War I to deploy with its traditional regimental number as its CEF battalion number.
Albert enlisted in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada on 28 June 1917, and was posted to the 236th O. S. Battalion, (The New Brunswick Kilties - Sir Sam's Own).
He landed in England with his Regiment on 8 March 1918 and was transferred to the 72nd Battalion, Canadian Infantry (BCR).
Albert was killed in action on 2 September 1918 and is buried in the CWGC Wancourt British Cemetery in France.
Awarded the British War Medal, and Victory Medal.
Additional Information
His widow, Mrs A Baker, 47 Rice St, North Cambridge, Mass, USA., ordered his headstone inscription: "IN LOVING MEMORY OF MY DEAR HUSBAND".
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne, Brenda Palmer
Brenda Palmer. Canadian National Archives, Christine & Derek Martindale, Hatfield Local History Society (www.hatfieldhistory.uk)
