Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Arthur was born on 6th June, 1891 the eldest of five children to Margaret ( nee O'Connor & known as Maggie ) and Robert Baker

Margaret and Robert's second son Edwin died in 1893 aged seven months, whilst their youngest child Edgar died in May 1916 aged fourteen, three months before their second youngest child Horace was killed in action in France. In contrast, his only sister Irene lived to eighty three years of age passing away in 1977.

Arthur's grandfather, Henry & his three brothers migrated from Durham, England in 1840 aboard the sailing ship Diadem and each had purchased 20 acre blocks of land in New Glenelg SA, where they established market gardens. The 20 acre blocks were subdivided into building allotments in 1927, but Arthur continued working the market gardens until 1942 when building works commenced. He retained two allotments, 30 and 32 Adelaide Rd ( now Oaklands Rd ) with his residence on one and grapevines and almond trees on the other and lived there until the early 70's when he moved to a unit at the Broadway, Glenelg.
In August 1914 at the age of 23 Arthur enlisted and as well as being a veteran of the ANZAC landing was a recipient of the Distinguished Conduct Medal during the Battle of Amiens. He was eventually discharged in October 1919 after serving for just over five years.
On the 4th March, 1916 Arthur married Kathleen ( known as May ) Davy and they had two sons, Horace Arthur and Jack. Kathleen died in 1951 aged sixty one.
From my personal memories of my grandfather, I'm sure he suffered from post traumatic stress, as following the war he virtually became a recluse on his property and had a significant drinking problem. Arthur was only 172cm tall and weighed in the vicinity of 120 kg and I remember at one stage we took him to the Repatriation hospital for treatment. They asked him to get on the scales which exceeded the maximum as they only went to eighteen stone ( 115kg ), so we had a good laugh about that with him. To top this off the staff took him in a wheelchair to the stores area to weigh him on the baggage scales. On his return he said things had only got more hilarious as he was wedged in the wheelchair and they had more issues getting him out to be weighed
The only day he would normally leave his premise was on a Thursday when he would catch a bus to the St Vincent Hotel ( now the Jetty Hotel ) in Moseley Square, Glenelg, to catch up with some old army mates for a chat and drink. He would then catch a bus to our family home at Hove for the regular Thursday roast, followed by a crib playing session with his son, our father, Horace. Later in the evening, Dad would drive him home. On several of these occasions as young children we would place a poo poo cushion under the cushion on grandpa's chair, but he never commented on it's discharge as we believe he wasn't sure whether he was responsible for the noise.
On one occasion in my late teens I was working in the vicinity of the St Vincent Hotel so decided to call and collect grandpa for our Thursday family catch up. He was obviously so excited to introduce me to his army mates and for me to have a drink with them that it has remained a special significant memory of him for me.
In his later years when he moved to the unit at the Broadway, Glenelg, getting around had become an issue, but in his typical fashion, he organised with a hotel around the corner that on pension day they deliver a regular order of alcohol, bring some change and he would hand over his pension cheque. Arthur died in 1976 aged 84.