Baird, Patrick Thomas George

No.4068 – Private Patrick Thomas George Baird 28^th Battalion AIF

Patrick Baird was born in East Fremantle on 18^th March 1895 to Patrick & Ellen Baird. (Son and Father in photo to left). The family lived in East Fremantle while Patrick (snr) worked at Rottnest Island as a Lighthouse Keeper.

Patrick attended East Fremantle State School before embarking as a career as a lighthouse keeper. This profession took him to Carnarvon and also to Busselton. He was living in Carnarvon when he enlisted into the AIF on the 20^th December 1915.

The medical examiner recorded Patrick's physical attributes to be;

Height - 5 feet 5 inches tall;

Weight - 135 lbs;

Chest measurement - 31-34 inches;

Complexion - Fair,

Eyes - Blue;

Hair - brown.

His religious denomination was listed as Church of England.

Initially sent to No.40 Depot where he was taken through basic infantry training, Patrick was then assigned to the 10^th Reinforcements to the 28^th Battalion. This group was training at Belmont racecourse camp. Before they embarked overseas, the 10th Reinforcements had their photo taken.

Patrick and his group left Fremantle on the H.M.A.T. Ulysses on the 1^st April 1916. On the 25^th April 1916 Patrick left the ship in Alexandria and was admitted to hospital with measles. He was released in late May and embarked aboard the Minnetonka for England.

Landing at Plymouth on the 12^th of June he was sent to the 7^th Training Battalion on Salisbury Plains. He stayed here till 15^th September when he was drafted for France. He was taken on strength of the 28^th Battalion on 26^th September 1916.

He was only at the 28^th Battalion for a short time as he was killed during the 28^th’s assaults on the German trenches at Flers. The exact date was unknown only that it was from the 3^rd – 6^th November 1916. His body was not recovered, and he is commemorated on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial.

His father, also called Patrick, enlisted in July 1916 and he went on to serve with the 16^th Battalion on the Western Front.

He had Regimental number 6729. He was wounded twice in the war and invalided home in 1918. He joined his wife again in Busselton though unfortunately due to war related issues Patrick Baird Snr died at No.8 Australian General Hospital on the 20^th February 1921. He has a war grave in Fremantle Cemetery.

Ellen Baird, living in Busselton, received her son’s effects and medals and also her husband’s medals.