BAKER, Clarence Alfred
| Service Number: | 5659 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 1st Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Narrabri, New South Wales, Australia, 20 March 1896 |
| Home Town: | Blandford, Upper Hunter Shire, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Died: | Murrurundi, New South Wales, Australia, 28 December 1978, aged 82 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 3 Jun 1916: | Involvement Private, 5659, 1st Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Kyarra embarkation_ship_number: A55 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 3 Jun 1916: | Embarked Private, 5659, 1st Infantry Battalion, HMAT Kyarra, Sydney | |
| 5 Jan 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, 5659, Wounded in Action GSW Head and Left Buttock, sent to England | |
| 20 Sep 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 5659, He was severely wounded in action on 20 September 1917, suffering gunshot wounds to the face, abdomen, and right hand. | |
| 10 Jan 1918: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, Returned to Australia |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by B Stanleu
Clarence Alfred Baker was born on 20 March 1896 at Narrabri, New South Wales, the son of Alfred Andrew Baker and Isabella Eglantine Louisa Baker (née Duncan). He was raised in the Murrurundi district, where he worked as a farmer prior to enlistment.
He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 14 July 1915 at Liverpool, New South Wales, aged 19 years. Clarence was allocated to the 18th Reinforcement of the 1st Battalion and embarked from Sydney on 3 June 1916 aboard HMAT Kyarra. He arrived in England in August 1916 and later proceeded to France in September, joining the 1st Battalion on the Western Front.
During his service in France, Clarence was wounded on more than one occasion. On 5 January 1917 he sustained a gunshot wound, and after returning to duty, he was again wounded in action on 20 September 1917. On this occasion he suffered severe gunshot wounds to the face, abdomen, and right hand. He was evacuated through the medical system to England, where he received further treatment.
Due to the severity of his injuries, Clarence was returned to Australia on 10 January 1918. He survived the war.
Clarence’s service was marked by personal loss. His older brother, Private Vivian Ernold Baker (3247), 55th Battalion, was killed in action at Fromelles on 20 July 1916 and has no known grave.
After the war, Clarence returned to civilian life in New South Wales where he married and had children, He lived a long life and died in 1978.
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