Sgt. William Riley Baker #442016 was born to George and Mary Baker of Easton’s Corners on May 20, 1884. There was some confusion to his birth year as his birthdate was listed as about 1881 and 1880 in the 1891 and 1901 census. He was the fifth of eight siblings which included Thomas, his half-brother, Eliza, Samuel, Mary, Jenny and Lewisa, the twins, and George. He seems to be closest to his brother Samuel who he listed as his next of kin when he enlisted. His father, George was 55 years old and his mother, Mary was 34, when he was born. They lived beside the John Ferguson and the Charles Spry family in Wolford Township on their farm. His father died when he was 18 with heart failure and his mother died in 1915. William enlisted on June 1, 1915 at the age of 31 in Vernon, ON and was assigned to the 51st battalion. He listed his occupation as a labourer, his religion as Wesleyan and was a big man at that time being 6’2 and a 40” chest. He had blue eyes, brown hair and a scar on his right forearm, was single and part of the local militia. His brother Samuel Baker of Grand Forks, BC was his next of kin. He was examined in Soda Creek, BC and listed as a miner at that time. He later was assigned to the 102nd Rocky Mountain Regiment and later the 54th Kootenay Battalion. He trained for a month with the 54th battalion and then went home to sail overseas.
Sgt. Baker sailed on the SS Corsican from Montreal on July 21, 1915 and was taken on strength in England on July 31, 1915 at Shornecliffe and became part of the 30th Reserve Battalion. He then joined the 2nd Canadian Machine Gun Brigade on Feb. 3, 1916. He arrived in France on Feb 21, 1916. He was never hospitalized during his service.
The 2nd Brigade was located in Zillebeke village just south of Ypres, Belgium as part of the Somme. They were located there from June 1-8 and were under intense fire through most of that time. On June 4, C section relieved D section during a fairly quiet time though it was cold, rainy and miserable. At 7:15pm, the Germans started an intense bombardment on the section having located their position which lasted until 8pm. It was noted in 2nd brigade war diary that Sgt Baker will killed at this time. It proceeded to rain nonstop for three days following this with intense bombardment which finally ended with the Germans taking over the C section position on June 6. As a result, a burial for Sgt. Baker never happened.
Officially, Sgt Baker died June 6, 1916 while with the 2nd Brigade Machine Gun Company of the 1st Division. His death notice, plaque and scroll was sent to his half-brother Thomas Baker of Easton’s Corners. He was not considered eligible for the 1914-15 Star. His body was not recovered and is listed on Panel 32 of the Menin Gate Memorial in West Vlaanderen, Belgium. The Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, often referred to simply as the Menin Gate, bears the names of more than 54,000 soldiers who died before 16 August 1917 and have no known grave. Sgt. Baker does have a grave site in the Easton’s Corners cemetery beside his parents. He is commemorated on page 49 of the Book of Remembrance.
Sgt. Baker sailed on the SS Corsican from Montreal on July 21, 1915 and was taken on strength in England on July 31, 1915 at Shornecliffe and became part of the 30th Reserve Battalion. He then joined the 2nd Canadian Machine Gun Brigade on Feb. 3, 1916. He arrived in France on Feb 21, 1916. He was never hospitalized during his service.
The 2nd Brigade was located in Zillebeke village just south of Ypres, Belgium as part of the Somme. They were located there from June 1-8 and were under intense fire through most of that time. On June 4, C section relieved D section during a fairly quiet time though it was cold, rainy and miserable. At 7:15pm, the Germans started an intense bombardment on the section having located their position which lasted until 8pm. It was noted in 2nd brigade war diary that Sgt Baker will killed at this time. It proceeded to rain nonstop for three days following this with intense bombardment which finally ended with the Germans taking over the C section position on June 6. As a result, a burial for Sgt. Baker never happened.
Officially, Sgt Baker died June 6, 1916 while with the 2nd Brigade Machine Gun Company of the 1st Division. His death notice, plaque and scroll was sent to his half-brother Thomas Baker of Easton’s Corners. He was not considered eligible for the 1914-15 Star. His body was not recovered and is listed on Panel 32 of the Menin Gate Memorial in West Vlaanderen, Belgium. The Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, often referred to simply as the Menin Gate, bears the names of more than 54,000 soldiers who died before 16 August 1917 and have no known grave. Sgt. Baker does have a grave site in the Easton’s Corners cemetery beside his parents. He is commemorated on page 49 of the Book of Remembrance.