CONTACT US

Regimental Museum (Brecon)

British Library

History

LINKS

SOCIAL

SUPPORTED BY

WORLD WAR ONE

The Men Who Died

WORLD WAR ONE

295 296

Bob Baker was born in Hay in 1895, son of Joseph Baker and Annie Elizabeth, nee Smith who ran a grocer's shop at the Pavement, Hay on Wye. He was a pupil at Hay council school before moving to the Brecon County School where he completed four terms (1908/09) before leaving to take up his father's occupation. However, before enlistment, he was actually employed as a clerk in the Gurnos Anthracite Colliery, Ystradgynlais.

Bob, then living at Ystalfera, enlisted in the Royal Field Artillery in April 1915 at Swansea. Initially stationed at Cricieth in June of that year, he was drafted to France in December 1915, leaving on Christmas Eve. He acted as a signaller as well as being driver to his commanding officer. Bob went through some of the severest fighting on the Western Front, including the Somme and Ypres.

He was seriously wounded by shellfire early in the morning of the 21st June, 1917 and died shortly afterwards.

His brother, Lance Corporal Harold Horatio Roberts Baker, was killed in Gallipoli in May 1915. He had emigrated to Australia in 1911 and fought with the Australian Infantry. Two other brothers, Frank and John also served.

Driver Lewis Westcott Smith (Bob) Baker

Royal Field Artillery, D Btn., 119th Brig, service no. W2939

Died June 21st, 1917 aged 22

Commemorated at Railway Dugouts Burial Ground

Charles was born in 1892, the eldest son of David, a coal seller/agent and Anne Davies of Tredegar Road, Sennybridge. The family address is later listed as Stockwell House, Sennybridge. He attended Defynnog Endowed School and then Brecon County Intermediary School from 1905 to 1912. He became a student teacher in 1911 and on leaving became a teacher with Breconshire County Council, appointed to Coelbren School in April 1912, but is later noted to have left teaching in favour of hewing coal, most probably in May 1913.

Charles enlisted in August 1914 and is believed to have served in India before being discharged sick, under King's Regulations in February 1915. The actual reason for discharge is not stated but may be presumed as T.B. as there was a high incidence in the family, and Charles had been hospitalised for a period during the course of his military service.

(See also David Davies, his brother the next record)

Private Charles Davies

Royal Army Medical Corps, service no. 26523

Died on September 5th, 1917, at Camberwell Infirmary,

London, aged 25

Buried at Brookwood Cemetery, London