Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

A carpenter apprenticed to Meacham and Leyland, Longreach and a member of the Longreach Fire Brigade, Terence was the son of Samuel and Catherine Baker of Falcon Street, Longreach.  He was born in Longreach on the 23rd February 1895, the sixth child and second son of ten children.  His father, an architect and carpenter, drafted the plans and assisted in the building of the Federal and Imperial hotels in Longreach in its early days. His mother, Catherine acted as midwife, and quite possibly brought som eof the local lads who went to war, into the world.  Baker, at the age of 21 enlisted on 19th September 1916 and joined the 15th Battalion, leaving Australia from Sydney on the 24th January 1917.  His unit marched into France in July 1917 where Baker was hospitalised with infulenza, rejoining the unit one month later, only to be sent back to hospital.  After a long recovery he eventually rejoined his unit in December 1917.  He was killed in action in the field in France on 23rd March 1918 and has no known grave.  He is commemorted on the Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, France.  His personal belongings, cards, photos and a damaged wallet were returned to this mother.  Mrs. Baker also received all medals awarded to Private Baker, due to Base Records not being able to establish contact with his father.