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Baker Richard Bissell Street

richardinwales

richardinwales

master brummie
I know nothing of my grand father, is there anything available regarding military records for him?

From the CWG site

In Memory of
Private RICHARD BAKER

9326, "A" Coy. 14th Bn., Royal Warwickshire Regiment
who died age 36
on 29 March 1918
Husband of Beatrice Baker, of 2 Court. 1 House, Birrell St., Birmingham.
Remembered with honour
PADUA MAIN CEMETERY


My own father Alfred was born in 1910. Any information would be very appriciated.

Many thanks
Richard.
 
His medal card exists, it appears he entered France 31 July 1915. He seems to have been awarded the 1915 Star, the Victory Medal, and the British Medal.

The card has been annotated; Died.

Barrie.
 
Think this could be your grand father, details taken from The National Roll of the Great War.


Colin
 
Thank you both very much for your time. I need his birthday now to try and track down where he was born.

Once again, thanks

Richard
 
I think this is his marriage.
Marriages Sep 1904
Richard Baker Birmingham 6d 100
Beatrice Marshall Birmingham 6d 100
living at 114 Angelina St Birmingham in 1911 with children Lillian May(5),Richard(4) and Alfred Edward(11 months).
All the family were born Birmingham and the couple had been married 7 years.
If you obtain a copy of this,it should show his father's name and occupation.
There is the following birth for 1882,Birmingham,but I don't think it's the right Richard.
Births Mar 1882
Richard Stanley Baker Birmingham 6d 230
 
National Roll is not him - this is a 1st Battalion regular. The one asked for is a 14th Bn Pal. The latter died of wounds and was born and enlisted in Bham and was ex-Worcs Regiment 17445 (Soldiers Died in the Great War)
 
The following taken from Ancestry appears to have the same death date as in the first post and would tie up with the National Roll in post 3

Richard Baker
Birth Place:Birmingham
Death Date:29 Mar 1918
Death Location:France & Flanders
Enlistment Location:Birmingham
Rank Private
Regiment:Royal Warwickshire Regiment
Battalion:14th Battalion
Number:9326
Type of Casualty died of wounds
Theatre of War:Western European Theatre
Comments:Formerly 17445, Worcs. Regt.
 
Great stuff lads. I'm now confused, I think the reference to Birrel Street is wrong, I think it should have been Bissel Street?

He is buried in Padua in Italy just to add to the confusion

Nov13292Small.jpg


Richard001Small.jpg


A student from Padua university took the pictures after I emailed the uni asking for help, a nice kind gesture.

Ladylinda, that is the right record for sure :)

Taken from https://www.1914-1918.net/warwicks.htm

"14th (Service) Battalion (1st Birmingham)
Formed at Birmingham in September 1914 by the Lord Mayor and a local committee.
26 June 1915 : attached to 95th Brigade, 32nd Division.
Landed at Boulogne 21 November 1915.
28 December 1915 : transferred to 13th Brigade, 5th Division.
Moved to Italy with the Division in November 1917 but returned to France April 1918.
5 October 1918 : became Pioneer Bn to same Division."
 
LadyLinda is repeating Soldiers Died in the Great War.

It may well be that he was a pre-war regular who had served his time and was on the reserve in 1914 (National Roll) and rejoined a regular Worcestershire battalion at the start of the war (Soldiers Died for Worcs connection) although I am not sure if a regular would have a five figure number at that date (need a Worcs Regiment numbering expert). But if the National Roll is right and he went straight away to France as many reservists did then why does his MIC give an entry to theatre of July 1915. If this is the case he would not have got the 1914 (Mons Star) as the National Roll suggests (MIC says 1915 Star i.e. active service after about December 1914).

The National Roll rings true if he stayed in the Worcs and was wounded on the Somme as a return after recovery would likely put him in another battalion in another regiment - so 14th Bn Warwicks fits as does the Italy stuff (although SDGW says death location - France and Flanders)

There are too many conflicts here. It is probably necessary to find him on the 1901 and 1911 census returns (1911 not too difficult if you search for Beatrice first as Richard Baker will be too common a name). He should be a professional soldier and the regiment will probably be given. He could have joined in time for the Boer War given his age (those who served is searchable) and might therefore have missed the 1901 census.

If he was a Worcester and went to France in August 1914 it was either 2nd or 3rd Battalion.

One final point if it came to reliability of evidence I would put CWGC 1st, SDGW second and National Roll way down.
 
Well, after a nine year break I'm back into family history, waiting for DNA results from Ancestry.com. I think I've found his father but waiting confirmation, if I'm right I've found a very interesting family connection.

Many thanks for past contributors and hope your all well; keep safe folks.
 
I'm waiting on my ancestry DNA test but signed up and found out some good stuff about him and my other Grand Father Arichibold (sometimes Archibald) Miller, South Staffs serial number 8585.
 
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