Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Sergeant Lyall James "Jim" Baker

SX21898 / S33099

Australian Army – A.I.F.

89 Australian Supply Depot Platoon (AASC)

New Guinea Campaign Veteran

Early Life & Family

Lyall James "Jim" Baker was born on 28 January 1910 at Moockra, South Australia, to Alice Rose Baker, then 17. Raised by his grandparents on the Baker family farm, Jim grew up in the remote Flinders region before later settling in Adelaide. On 10 October 1932, he married Gladys Maskell at the Methodist Parsonage, Peterborough.

ENLISTMENT – AUSTRALIAN MILITARY FORCES (Militia)

18 November 1940 – Keswick, South Australia

Army Number: S33099

Unit: A.A.S.C. (Australian Army Service Corps)

Age on enlistment: 30 years, 10 months

Occupation: Driller

Religion: Church of England

Permanent address: 34 Marlborough Street, Kensington

Next of Kin: Gladys Baker (wife)

On his Mobilization Enrolment Form, Jim declared:

"I, Lyall James Baker, swear that I will well and truly serve our Sovereign Lord, the King…"

He signed both the enrolment and the oath.

Medical examination at Keswick on 18 November 1940 found him:

Fit for active service

PROMOTIONS (1941–1942)

Jim progressed quickly through administrative and supply roles:

Group III Clerk – 26 May 1941
Temporary Corporal – 7 June 1941
Acting Corporal – 27 September 1941
Acting Sergeant – 27 January 1942
These entries appear consistently on the Service & Casualty Forms (B103) and his Pay & Camp Attendance Ledger.

TRANSFER TO THE A.I.F. (Active Service, overseas qualified)

15 July 1942

Jim volunteered for full overseas military service and transferred to the A.I.F., receiving a new service number:

SX21898 – Sergeant Lyall James Baker

His unit became formally associated with the:

89 Australian Supply Depot Platoon, AASC

—a critical logistics and materials movement unit.

SERVICE IN NEW GUINEA (1943–1944)

Embarked: 18 August 1943

Disembarked: 15 September 1944

Jim served for more than a year in New Guinea with supply and logistics units, ensuring the flow of food, ammunition, and essential stores to Australian troops in the Pacific theatre.

His unit movements show attachments to:

14 Aust. Supply Depot
85 & 89 Aust. Supply Depot Platoons
AASC Workshops & Lines of Communication units
American 363rd Station Hospital (treatment)
121 AGH, 114 AGH, 106 AGH

MEDICAL HISTORY – TROPICAL ILLNESS

His B103 casualty sheets list recurrent medical issues:

Dermatitis
Tropical skin infections
Urticarial reactions
Malaise, fevers, and unspecified dermatitis flare-ups
Multiple admissions & discharges across hospitals and CCS units
Despite this, Jim repeatedly returned to duty.

RETURN TO AUSTRALIA & FINAL POSTINGS (1944–1945)

After returning from New Guinea late 1944, he continued service in:

South Australian Line of Communication Area
Supply & depot coordination roles
Medical review postings
His medical classification was later recorded as Class D (29/1/1944).

DISCHARGE

21 March 1945 – Wayville, South Australia

Rank: Sergeant

Unit on discharge: 89 Australian Supply Depot Platoon

The discharge certificate lists:

Age: 35
Height: 5ft 4½in
Complexion: Ruddy
Eyes: Hazel
Hair: Brown
Intended address: 18 John Street, Payneham
He signed the discharge as L. J. Baker, witnessed and confirmed by Captain F. M. Candy.

Total effective wartime service:

1,396 days total

678 days Active Service in Australia
395 days Active Service Outside Australia (New Guinea)

BADGES & MEDALS

Returned From Active Service Badge

Badge Number A.458829

Issued 20 March 1945

Signed for by Jim.

Entitled Medals:

(confirmed on Medal Issue Card)

1939–45 Star
Pacific Star
War Medal 1939–45
Australian Service Medal 1939–45
Medals posted 17 October 1950.

POST-WAR LIFE

Jim and Gladys returned to Trinity Gardens, where Jim later applied for repatriation benefits (letters from 1980 confirm this). He died at home on:

22 April 1990 (BDM official date)

He is commemorated at:

Enfield Memorial Park – Eastern Niche Wall No. 2 (RSL section)

Biography by Trevor Pyatt 11/12/2025