Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Hugh Baker was born on 16 June 1895 in Colac, Victoria, the son of Henry Baker (1856-1933) and Mary Jane Menzies Spencer (1865-1901). At 20 years old, he enlisted with the 8th Reinforcements, 21st Battalion A.I.F on 8 July 1915, alongside his brother Percy Baker. Hugh was given regimental number 3454, while Percy took the preceding number, 3453. The two brothers embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on HMAT A64 Demosthenes on 29 December 1915.

A week before their departure, the brothers had photographs taken by the Darge Photographic Company around 22 December 1915. They took both individual portraits and a group photograph with a fellow 8th Reinforcements member, 3456 Private Charles Bannon of Terang, Victoria. It is uncertain whether the brothers knew Bannon before enlisting or if they became mates during training.

Upon arrival in Egypt, Hugh was taken on strength with the 60th Battalion on 26 February 1916, alongside Percy and Charles. However, Hugh and Percy then transferred to the 59th Battalion on 15 March 1916. Both battalions were part of the 15th Brigade, 5th Australian Division. After initial training, the 59th Battalion was deployed to Ferry Post in late March to defend the Suez Canal against potential Ottoman attacks.

In late May 1916, the battalion handed over its canal outposts to a British unit and moved to Alexandria. On 18 June 1916, Hugh and Percy embarked on the Kinfauns Castle for France to reinforce the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). Although Charles remained with the 60th Battalion, the two battalions travelled together aboard the same ship, ensuring the mates were not far apart. The battalions docked at Marseilles on 29 June 1916, giving Hugh, Percy, and Charles their first glimpse of France.

The battalions then moved to northern France by rail. The 59th Battalion took up position in the Bois Grenier sector, south of Armentières, and entered the trenches on 18 July. On the following day, the battalion was ordered to attack the German lines as part of the Battle of Fromelles. At 6:15 pm on 19 July, the 59th Battalion began an advance in four waves, each wave five minutes apart. However, within 15 minutes it was all over. The attack had faltered. By the time the battalion dug in, most of its officers and NCOs had been killed or wounded. The Germans, fortified by machine guns, enfiladed the Australians in shallow trenches, and the battlefield was soon strewn with dead and wounded men.

During this catastrophic attack on the "Sugar Loaf" salient, Hugh’s brother, Percy, and their mate Charles Bannon were both killed. Percy’s body was never recovered, and he is commemorated among the missing. Percy was one of 274 men from the 59th Battalion listed as missing in the action. Charles was buried at Rue-du-Bois Cemetery.

Despite the heavy casualties, the 59th Battalion remained in the Armentières sector for another three months. On 25 August 1916, Hugh was detached from the battalion to attend Grenade School for six days, returning on 31 August. In early September, the battalion took up positions near Fleurbaix, close to the site of the disastrous July attack.

On 13 September, while in the trenches near Rue-de-Bois, Hugh suffered a severe chest wound and was evacuated to England. He spent a year recovering, but his injuries proved too debilitating, and he was declared medically unfit for service. On 21 December 1917, he left England aboard the Persic and returned to Melbourne, where he was discharged from the AIF on 21 March 1918.

After the war, Hugh married Vera Linton Black (1901-1977) in 1919, and they had six children. He continued to work as a labourer in Melbourne into the 1950s, then lived out the remainder of his life in Castlemaine, Victoria, where he passed away on 21 December 1984, aged 89. Hugh is buried alongside Vera in Chewton Cemetery, Victoria.