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William Robert Samuel (WRS or Bob) BAKER Update Details

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BAKER, William Robert Samuel

Personal Details

Service Number:	WX8682
Enlisted:	23 October 1940
Last Rank:	Private
Last Unit:	2nd/4th Machine Gun Battalion
Born:	Esperance, Western Australia, 27 April 1919
Home Town:	Norseman, Dundas, Western Australia
Schooling:	Not yet discovered
Occupation:	Bagger
Died:	Died at sea (POW of Japan - Rakuyo Maru), South China Sea, 12 September 1944, aged 25 years
Cemetery:	No known grave - "Known Unto God"
Memorials:	Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial, Labuan Memorial, Labuan Federal Territory, Malaysia

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Service History

World War 2 Service

3 Sep 1939:	Involvement Private, WX8682
23 Oct 1940:	Enlisted Private, WX8682, Claremont, Western Australia
23 Oct 1940:	Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, WX8682, 2nd/4th Machine Gun Battalion
7 Mar 1942:	Imprisoned Battle of Java
8 Mar 1942:	Imprisoned His POW transport ship 'Rakuyo' Maru was sunk by American submarines South China Sea. Large numbers of POWs managed to find floating debri to serve as life rafts but tragically during the next few days nearly all died of lack of water or from injuries.
12 Sep 1944:	Involvement Private, WX8682, 2nd/4th Machine Gun Battalion, Prisoners of War

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Biography contributed by Faithe Jones

Son of William Edward Johnson BAKER and Lulu Esther nee ROUSE

Son of William Edward Johnson BAKER and Lulu Esther nee ROUSE

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Links and Documents

• Research Links

• 2nd/4th Machine Gun Battalion
• AWM - Roll of Honour
• Find-a-grave - Link
• NAA - Attestation Paper and Service Record
• WW2 - Nominal Roll

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