Baker, Walter Roland

880 Sergeant Walter Roland Baker - 13th Field Company Engineers

Walter Roland Baker was born in Fremantle in 1897 to William and Elsie Baker. He was one of six siblings with, Clara (1891), Mabel (1893), Alexander (1894), Frederick (1899) and Arthur (1904). Sadly Arthur died shortly after birth.

The family had lived in Queensland which is where Clara was born before moving to NSW where Mabel and Alex were born. They then moved to WA where the final three children were born. They lived in Mandurah Road Fremantle till 1904 and then moved to Claremont which is where Walter's mother Elsie died just a few months after giving birth to Arthur.

After leaving school in Claremont Walter went to the countryside living with his father and step mother at Newcarnie and he took up work as a farm hand.

Walter's Brother Alex had been killed at Gallipoli on the 2nd May 1915 while serving with the 16th Battalion AIF. News had come through to the Baker family regarding Alex's death and Walter enlisted on the 7th July 1915. He was just 18 years old but Walter was accepted for service with the Australian Imperial Force.

The medical examiner who passed him as fit recorded Walter's details as;

Height - 5 feet 5 & 3/4 inches;

Weight - 9 Stone 13;

Chest Measurement - 33-35 inches;

Complexion - Dark;

Eyes - Grey;

Hair - Light Brown.

Upon being sent to Blackboy Hill Camp, Walter was assigned to "C" Company of the newly forming 32nd Battalion AIF. 

The 32nd Battalion was a joint South and West Australian unit. The two WA companies did some of their training in WA but then went to Adelaide to join up with the rest of the Battalion and trained for a few more weeks in South Australia.

The 32nd Battalion left Adelaide in December 1915 and sailed for Egypt. After their arrival they spent more time in training and were also used to man part of the Suez Canal defensive line.

The 32nd Battalion became part of the 8th Brigade of the 5th Division AIF. They spent the first six months of 1916 training in the Egyptian desert. However Walter was not to remain with the 32nd Battalion as on the 4th May 1916 he was transferred to the 5th Pioneer Battalion. He then trained with his new unit in Egypt for the next six weeks.

On the 19th June 1916 Walter left Egypt with the 5th Pioneer Battalion aboard the transport ship HT Canada and set sail for France, arriving at Marseilles on the 23rd June 1916.

After their arrival they were sent north to the Armentieres region to have their first experience of trench life on the Western Front. The 5th Division were soon thrown into an assault on the German positions at Fromelles. The attack did not succeed despite the bravery of the infantry. While the 5th Pioneer Battalion did not take part in the infantry assault on German lines they went forward in trying to improve the trenches under heavy German fire, while maintaining the main communication avenue and building a sap across No Mans Land to the part of the front that the infantry did capture. All this was done under heavy German fire. Casualties were heavy but Walter came safely through.

The 5th Pioneer Battalion remained in the Armentieres sector till October 1916 when they were transferred to the Somme. They then spent October 1916 to February 1917 on the wet and cold Somme battlefield in and around the ruined village of Flers, Longueval and Delville Wood.

The wintry conditions were the coldest in decades and many men were evacuated due to sickness. On the 30th November 1916 Walter was evacuated with trench foot. Trench Foot is a serious condition caused by prolonged exposure to cold, wet, and unsanitary conditions, causing restricted blood flow, tissue damage, and nerve damage. Symptoms included numbness, pain, swelling, and color changes. Treatment required keeping feet clean, dry, and warm, with gradual rewarming which was impossible in the went and muddy trenches. So many of the worse cases were sent to hospital.

After a few days at the 22nd General Hospital at Camiers Walter was shipped to England where he was admitted to City of London War Hospital. Walter's was a severe case and he was in hospital here till the 16th February 1917. He was then granted a two week furlough, reporting into the 1st Command Depot Camp at Perham Downs on the 5th March 1917. On the 9th March 1917 he was then sent to No.4 Command Depot Camp at Wareham.

During this time in England Walter had met his future wife and wasting no time on the 27th March 1917 married Annie Wheeler in Romford Essex. He had to return to camp at Wareham so they did not get to then have a honeymoon. 

On the 30th May 1917, Walter, now a Lance Corporal was sent to the Pioneer Training Battalion at Fovant Camp. He remained here for the next few months.

On the 29th August 1917 Walter returned to France. Instead of rejoining the 5th Pioneer Battalion, he was taken on strength of the 12th Field Company Engineers. He served with his new unit through the Third Battle of Ypres from September to November 1917 and came through safely.

On the 1st January 1918 Walter was evacuated sick to hospital with a recurrence of trench feet. On the 5th January 1918 he was shipped to England and was admitted to Mile End Military Hospital.

He was then sent to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital on the 24th January 1918 and was then sent to No.4 Command Depot Camp at Hurdcott. Due to his feet issues, Walter was retained in England through 1918. In September 1918 he was transferred to the Overseas Training Brigade Camp at Longbridge Deverell. He remained working here till the 2nd April 1919.

Walter then went to the AIF Survey School at Southampton. He remained there till the 30th June 1919.

On the 3rd July 1919 Walter, his wife and child (Charles born in 1919 in Southampton) left England aboard the transport ship Zealandia and after the long sea journey arrived at Fremantle on the 16th August 1919.

Walter was discharged from the AIF on the 8th October 1919.

The family then returned to Farming at Newcarnie near Northam. Another son called Vernon was born in Subiaco WA in 1921.

The family lived at Newcarnie through the 1920's and 30's but then moved North Perth in 1943. Walter found work locally as a Carpenter

Walter Roland Baker died on the 17th November 1955.