Gunner Sydney Raymond Baker
Service #: 38247
Summary
BACKGROUND
Sydney Raymond Baker was born in Southport, Qld on the 21st November 1899, son of Sydney Locke Baker & Minnie Norman “Minna” (Berridge) Baker. According to QDLBDM he had one brother.
ATTESTATION
Sydney travelled to Brisbane on the 11th April 1917to complete his application. He answered several questions on the document, and we find out he was a single man and gave his occupation as farmer. His next of kin was his father, Sydney, of Cudgen. Sydney stated on the document he had been rejected for service before because he was medically unfit.
He then signed a declaration confirming he had answered the questions correctly and was willing to voluntarily agree to service in the Military Forces of the Commonwealth of Australia
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CERTIFICATE OF ATTESTING OFFICER
On the second page of the attestation documents the attesting confirms the following; “The foregoing questions were read to the person enlisted in my presence. I have taken care that he understood each question, and his answer to each question has been duly entered as replied to by him”
OATH
He also made the following oath in the presence of the Attesting Officer: “I, Sydney Raymond Baker, swear that I will well and truly serve our Sovereign Lord the King in the Australian Imperial Force until the end of the War, and a further four months thereafter unless sooner lawfully discharged, dismissed or removed therefrom: and that I will resist His Majesty’s enemies and case His Majesty’s peace to be kept and maintained; and I will in all matters appertaining to my services faithfully discharge my duty according to law
He then signed a declaration confirming he had answered the questions correctly and was willing to voluntarily agree to service in the Military Forces of the Commonwealth of Australia
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MEDICAL EXAMINATION
Sydney stated he was 21years 1 month old. However, he was born in 1899 which makes him only 16 years 5 months old. People in that era did not have identification documents that we have in our time, they did not necessarily know what year they were born and often their age was referred to as “you are about 12 years old” rather than specifics, so it could have been an honest mistake. Large sections of the Australian community felt loyal to Britain when the war was declared. More than 90% of migrants to Australia in the 8 years before 1914 were from the United Kingdom. Many Australians still called England 'the mother country'.
Australian men volunteered to enlist for different reasons, because they:
· needed regular pay
· sought combat or adventure
· wanted to escape from normal life
· wanted to do their duty for the British Empire.
He was 5ft 4 ½ inches tall (1.63m) and weighed 112lbs (50kgs). He had a dark complexion, brown eyes and dark hair. His eyesight was good. Sydney was Church of England.
CERTIFICATE OF MEDICAL EXAMINER
The medical examiner certifies I have examined the abovenamed person, and find that he does not present any of the following conditions, viz: -Scrofula; phthisis; syphilis; impaired constitution; defective intelligence; defects of vision, voice, or hearing; hernia’ haemorrhoids; varicose veins, beyond a limited extent; marked varicocele with unusually pendent testicle; inveterate cutaneous disease’ chronic ulcers; traces of corporal punishment or evidence of having been marked with the letters D. or B.C; contracted or deformed chest; abnormal curvature of spine; or any other disease or physical defect calculated to unfit him for the duties of a soldier.
He can see the required distance with either eye; his heart and lungs are healthy; he has the free use of his joints and limbs; and he declares he is not subject to fits of any description. I consider him fit for active service
CERTIFICATE OF COMMANDING OFFICER
This is completed during the recruits training. Sydney was in Enoggera training camp when this was completed on 9th June 1917. The commanding officer certifies that this attestation of the abovenamed person is correct, and that the required forms have been complied with. He then states “I accordingly approve, and appoint him a private with the 14th reinforcements, 31st Battalion with service number 38247
TRAINING AT RIFLE RANGE CAMP, ENOGGERA
As was the case with men from the Northern Rivers district in New South Wales, they trained at Rifle Range Camp, Enoggera near Brisbane. The Barracks Block was built as accommodation for men in two dormitories, each 36 feet by 22 feet (10.97 x 6.7 metres). Beds or bunks were not provided, instead each man slept on a palliasse with ground sheet on the floor. For many it was their first time away from home. Men from every walk of life, from clerks and teachers to factory and shop workers, were crammed together
Now training for the new recruits began. Firstly, the recruits had to be inducted into military forms of discipline, command, and order. This was partially achieved through a program of basic training carried and, in a sense, was maintained for a long as a man was in the service. It involved marching and drilling with the rifle, cleaning and caring for personal equipment and being supervised and inspected in ways quite different to ordinary civilian life. For example, no boots should be allowed to get in a bad state of wear but must be sent to the bootmaker without delay for repair. Men who were found with hair long and unshaven had to have a haircut and shave
Secondly, after basic training there followed the far more serious exercise of turning a man into a fighting soldier at least partially prepared for the kind of warfare he was about to experience overseas. The topics and exercises in the syllabus of training were a world away from their former lives and included daily physical training, entrenching, wiring, firing rifle grenades, firing the Lewis light machine gun, dealing with gas attack, using hand grenades, using the bayonet, and the routines to be followed in the trenches.
This training was then put into practice during what were called ‘Field Days,’ when men would practice using the skills they had acquired in mock attacks both by day and by night. How well men had learnt to use their weapons, in cooperation with each other in training, would be tested in the harsh reality of the front line. Training could take several months
INNOCULATIONS
All recruits were given a range of inoculations while in camp. The most important jab was to protect against smallpox and typhoid – indeed, having this was an essential precondition of enlisting.
THE UNIFORM
The recruits were issued with their uniform- service dress jacket was made of Australian wool and its loose fit gave the wearer more allowance for movement. The four large pockets were very useful. A unique feature designed for comfort was the pleated back, which provided a double thickness of cloth down the back that the pack rubbed against. Breeches were corduroy worn with wool wrap puttees. The famous khaki felt slouch hat or early service cap is probably the most distinctive part of the uniform. turned up on the left and featuring a plain khaki band, chinstrap and “rising sun” badge.
SOLDIER’S KIT
Australia's World War I soldiers went to war weighed down by almost 30 kilograms of clothes, weapons, tools and kit.
· Breeches: made from khaki woollen cord fabric, with side pockets and button flies. Soldiers were issued with two pairs of breeches, plus a pair of dungarees. The breeches ended above the ankles and the gap was filled with puttees.
· Braces: worn with breeches.
· Puttees: The men wound these strips of woollen cloth, almost three metres long, upwards from the ankle to just below the knee. Soldiers disliked the puttees, probably with good reason: the tight binding restricted circulation and might even have contributed to the high incidence of trench foot. Mounted troops wore leather leggings.
· Shirt: Soldiers were given two grey, collarless, flannel shirt, plus a military shirt.
· Ankle boots: brown and lace-up.
· Socks: Made from wool or cotton. Soldiers were issued with three pairs.
· Greatcoat: the khaki woollen coat (which weighed about 3kg) often doubled as a soldier's bedding and was his chief protection against the cold and wet. The coat came into its own when snow hit Gallipoli in November 1915 and also on the Western Front.
· Jersey
· Singlets: Soldiers were issued with 2 woollen singlets.
· Cotton "drawers" (underpants): Soldiers were issued with two pairs.
· Abdominal belts: a sort of cummerbund that was issued to keep soldiers warm and supposedly ward off disease.
· Backpacks and webbing: The main backpack was a rectangular sack measuring about 15 inches x 13 inches, closed at the top by a folding cover secured by two straps. The webbing included a web belt, cartridge pouches, small haversack, bayonet frog, an entrenching tool holder (plus another holder for its handle), and a water-bottle holder.
· Identity disc: Soldiers were initially issued with one medal "dog tag" on a cord, but later in the war they were given two tags, made of compressed fibre.
· Soldiers were also issued with a "housewife" - a sewing kit containing such items as needles, thimble, thread, wool and button so they could carry out running repairs.
· Also in their kit were a short-magazine Lee-Enfield (SMLE) rifle, a rifle sling, a bayonet and scabbard, and an "entrenching tool" (they were "diggers" after all). This came in two parts, with the helve (handle) separate from the spade part.
· Soldiers were issued with eating equipment (knife, fork, spoon, an enamel mug, water bottle (with two-point capacity), and a mess tin with carrier.
· They also had a clasp knife (with marlin spike, tin-opener and lanyard), razor, shaving kit, soap, comb, two towels, field dressing (carried in the tunic's inside pocket), and a hold-all, in which they could pack their private possessions.
· No item was probably looked after more carefully than their service pay book: privates were paid five shillings a day.
Sydney had 4 days home leave approved from 4th June to the 8th June while in Enoggera, to see his parents before embarking
VOYAGE OVERSEAS FROM SYDNEY TO EGYPT NOVEMBER 1917
On the 14th November 1917 his unit caught the troop train from Brisbane to Sydney and on the 16th November, they embarked on the ss Canberra.
Alongside his comrades, Sydney marched aboard, his boots ringing on the gangway. As the ship’s lines were cast off and the quay began to slip away, the reality of war lay ahead, but for now, the sea breeze carried only the sound of voices and the excitement of men bound for adventure, duty, and the unknown.
SLEEPING & LIVING ARRANGEMENTS
Recruits likely slept in a crowded troop deck below, where rows of hammocks or three-tier wooden bunks were crammed close together.
Air below decks could be stuffy, especially in warmer climates, and seasickness was common during the first few days.
DAILY ROUTINE
Reveille early each morning, followed by physical exercises on the open decks (weather permitting). There were parades and inspections—officers ensured uniforms, rifles, and kit were clean and in order. Training was a little problematic—drill without much space, rifle maintenance, lectures on military discipline, signalling, and trench warfare theory. The ship’s decks were used for marching in tight circles or practising bayonet thrusts into stuffed sacks. Rifle shooting was impossible at sea, so soldiers learned to strip and clean their weapons until it was second nature.
MEALS
Three hearty meals a day were served; breakfast usually consisted of porridge, stew, and tea. Lunch included soup, meat, vegetables, and pudding. Meat, bread with jam and tea was served for dinner. The meals were served in shifts from the ship’s galley. Queues were long, and eating on a rolling ship meant many tried to eat quickly before nausea set in.
HEALTH & SANITATION
Shipboard hygiene was critical—every man was ordered to scrub his section daily to prevent disease. Saltwater baths were the norm, with freshwater rationed for drinking.
THE VOYAGE EXPERIENCE
Entertainment included church drill, concerts, singalongs, card games, and makeshift cricket matches on deck when the weather allowed. To keep up morale, an area of the ship was roped off where regular boxing and wrestling tournaments were held. This became commonly known as the Stoush Stadium. No letters could be sent until they reached port, but men often wrote diaries or unsent letters to be posted later.
The troops engaged in lifebelt drill; a cookhouse on deck; soldiers on fatigues peeling potatoes 'spud bashing'; going to the dentist; barber, pay day; soldiers cleaning personal equipment; medical inspection
CROSSING THE EQUATOR CEREMONY
The crossing the Equator ceremony, ‘Neptune’s Journey,’ was played-out on each troopship.
SIGHTS AT SEA
On the way to Egypt the ship would pass through the Great Australian Bight, cross the Indian Ocean, and stop at Colombo (Ceylon now Sri Lanka) for coal and supplies.
SECURITY
By late 1914, German raiders were active, so lifeboat drills were frequent, and lookouts kept watch for suspicious ships. Troopships generally sailed in convoys or at least took zig-zag courses to make torpedo attacks harder. Ships often travelled under blackout conditions at night, with lookouts specifically watching for periscopes or torpedo wakes.
APPROACHING EGYPT
After several weeks at sea, the men finally saw the dusty shoreline of Port Said or Alexandria. The reality of leaving home truly sank in. The recruits would soon exchange the ship’s cramped decks for the sandy training grounds of Egypt, preparing for what lay ahead.
EGYPTIAN TRAINING CAMP
They disembarked at Suez on the 21st December 1917. The unit then went to their training camp. When the train finally rattled into the siding near the Camp, the soldiers found themselves staring at an extraordinary sight — the vast Pyramids looming on the horizon, their ancient stones glowing gold in the late afternoon sun. Rows of khaki tents stretched out across the sand, the dust curling in little eddies around the tent pegs
This camp provided the final preparation for entrainment to Alexandria and the Western Front. The isolation camps screened soldiers arriving in Egypt as reinforcements for two weeks, checking for any illnesses such as measles which can break out when people are crowded together for long periods.
During an interim period, soldiers typically:
· Recovered from the voyage: After long sea travel from Australia, troops needed time to rest and regain strength.
· Underwent medical inspections: To check for illnesses, infections, or conditions like venereal disease that might delay their training.
· Received equipment and uniforms: Egypt's heat made the heavy wool uniforms uncomfortable. As a result, lighter clothing was often issued or obtained locally. Soldiers frequently wore:
ü Khaki cotton shirts without the tunic
ü Lightweight drill uniforms made from cotton
ü Shorts on some occasions, particularly in camp
ü Pith helmets or sun helmets for fatigue duties and work in the sun, although the slouch hat remained the iconic Australian headgear
· Were assigned to training battalions: Administrative processing sorted soldiers into reinforcement drafts for specific front-line battalions.
· Drilled: They performed drills, parades, and familiarisation routines while waiting for to board the ship bound for the brutal realities of the Western Front.
TARANTO, ITALY JANUARY 1918
Sydney embarked at Port Said on 9 January 1918 and did not disembark at Taranto until 20 January. That is quite reasonable for a troopship travelling through the Mediterranean during wartime.
Taranto was a major Allied transit and staging port. Australian reinforcements travelling from Egypt to the Western Front were often routed through Italy before proceeding by rail and ship to England or France. On arrival Sydney would have:
· Disembarked and undergone medical inspections.
· Been processed through a reinforcement depot.
· Received accommodation, rations and administrative paperwork.
· Waited for onward transport to England.
· Undertaken routine military duties, drill and physical training while awaiting movement orders.
HOSPITALISED MUMPS JANUARY 1918
Unfortunately, before he could continue his journey, he was admitted to the 69th General Hospital with mumps on 29 January 1918. Mumps was, and is, a contagious viral illness, easily spread among the soldiers. It can cause fever, swelling of the salivary glands and inflammation in other parts of the body. Soldiers would have suffered fever, headaches, tiredness, body aches & poor appetite. There is no specific treatment for mumps. Instead, treatment focuses on symptom relief. Treatment would have included plenty of rest, lots of fluids, using a warm or cool compress to relieve facial pain and swelling & eating foods that do not need a lot of chewing
9 FEBRUARY – 4 MARCH 1918
After discharge from hospital, he was probably transferred to a convalescent or reinforcement camp in the Taranto area. There he would have:
· Continued recovering his strength.
· Attended medical inspections to confirm fitness for duty.
· Carried out light training and route marches.
· Awaited allocation to the next draft proceeding to England.
ENGLAND MARCH 1918
Once declared fit, he embarked with a reinforcement draft and eventually reached Southampton on 4 March 1918. On the same day he was marched into the Reinforcements in Britain Administrative Area at Heytesbury on Salisbury Plain. Sydney was entering the large Australian training system in southern England, where reinforcements were prepared before being sent to the Australian units fighting in France and Belgium.
ENGLISH TRAINING CAMP MARCH 1918
During an interim period, soldiers typically:
· Underwent medical inspections: To check for illnesses, infections, or conditions like venereal disease that might delay their training.
· Received equipment and uniforms: This included British-issued gear better suited to the Western Front.
· Were assigned to training battalions: Administrative processing sorted soldiers into reinforcement drafts for specific front-line battalions.
· Drilled lightly: They performed light drills, parades, and familiarisation routines while waiting for formal training slots to open.
When the recruits entered the camp, they joined one of the Australian training establishments on the Salisbury Plain in southern England. By this stage of the war, the Australian Imperial Force had developed a highly organised training system designed to ensure that every reinforcement arriving in France possessed the skills needed to survive on the Western Front.
The time they spent at the camp were among the most important of their military career. Rather than being sent directly to the front, they underwent intensive preparation under instructors who were often veterans recently returned from France. These men had firsthand knowledge of trench warfare and passed on lessons learned through hard experience.
Life in the camp followed a demanding routine. Reveille sounded early each morning, followed by physical training designed to build strength and endurance. After breakfast, the men spent long hours on the training grounds learning and practising the skills they would soon need in battle. Rifle shooting remained a fundamental part of instruction, and the men would have spent considerable time on the ranges improving his marksmanship and learning to care for his weapon under all conditions.
Much of the training focused on trench warfare. Practice trench systems had been constructed across Salisbury Plain, allowing recruits to experience conditions similar to those they would encounter in France. They learned how to move through communication trenches, occupy front-line positions, stand sentry duty and maintain defensive works. They practised digging trenches, constructing parapets and revetments, and laying barbed wire obstacles.
Bombing instruction was another important part of the syllabus. Recruits learned how to throw and handle grenades safely, a skill that had become essential on the Western Front. They were also taught how to react during enemy bombardments, how to seek cover and how to move forward under artillery fire.
Field exercises frequently involved entire companies and battalions. During these manoeuvres, the recruits practised attacks on mock enemy positions, advancing behind simulated artillery barrages and coordinating movements with neighbouring units. Such exercises often lasted for many hours and could continue regardless of rain, cold or mud. The instructors were determined that recruits experience something of the hardships they would face in France.
Route marches formed a regular feature of camp life. Carrying rifles, ammunition, packs and equipment, the men marched many miles across the rolling countryside of Salisbury Plain. These marches built stamina and accustomed soldiers to carrying heavy loads over long distances. By the end of his training, the men would have been capable of marching for hours while carrying the equipment required in active service.
If applicable
Beyond the formal training, the also gave the recruits the opportunity to form friendships with fellow Australians who shared anticipation and uncertainty about their future. In the evenings, men wrote letters home, attended educational lectures or spent what little leisure time was available discussing rumours from the front and wondering what lay ahead.
After many months of continuous preparation in England, the men were judged ready for active service. The recruits had been transformed from a newly arrived reinforcement into a fully trained infantryman, accustomed to discipline, hardship, and the mechanics of modern war. When the battalion finally crossed to France, it did so as a cohesive and well-drilled unit, prepared—so far as training could allow—for the brutal realities of the Western Front.
FRANCE 7 AUGUST 1918 – 30 AUGUST 1918
Sydney proceeded overseas to France on 7 August 1918. Like most reinforcements arriving from England at this stage of the war, he would have landed at a base port such as Le Havre or Rouen and been sent to the Australian Infantry Base Depot. There he underwent final processing, equipment checks and several weeks of training designed to prepare reinforcements for active service on the Western Front. During August 1918 the Australian Corps was heavily engaged in preparations for the great Allied offensive that began at Amiens on 8 August. Sydney would have been undertaking route marches, musketry, gas-mask drills and battlefield instruction while awaiting allocation to a fighting unit.
30 AUGUST 1918 – 3 SEPTEMBER 1918
"TOS" means Taken on Strength. Sydney was posted to his unit as a reinforcement during the period when the Australian Corps was advancing eastward following the success at Amiens. The battalions were suffering casualties from continual fighting and required a steady stream of reinforcements. This means a soldier was officially assigned to and accounted for in a specific military unit's nominal roll. It meant they were integrated into the unit for daily operations, including food, discipline, equipment, and frontline duties
TRANSFER TO 4TH AUSTRALIAN FIELD ARTILLERY BRIGADE
3 SEPTEMBER 1918 – 25 MARCH 1919
His transfer to the 4th Australian Field Artillery Brigade suggests the Army had identified a need for men in the artillery rather than the infantry. The brigade was supporting the Australian Corps during the final phase of the Hundred Days Offensive. During September and October 1918, the artillery provided barrage fire and support during operations against the Hindenburg Line and the subsequent advance through northern France. WAR ENDED 11th NOVEMBER 1918
The armistice that ended the First World War on the Western Front was signed between Germany and the Allies on 11 November 1918.
Following the Armistice on 11 November 1918, Sydney's duties changed considerably. The brigade remained in occupied areas, maintaining equipment, conducting training, performing administrative duties and awaiting demobilisation arrangements. Through the winter of 1918–19 many soldiers attended education classes, sporting activities and recreational programmes while waiting their turn to return home.
LEAVE TO ENGLAND 25 MARCH 1919 – 18 APRIL 1919
Sydney was granted leave to England, a well-earned break after months in France. Soldiers on leave typically visited London and other cities, stayed in leave hostels, attended theatres and sightseeing attractions, and enjoyed freedoms unavailable near the front. After leave expired, he returned to his unit in France.
18 APRIL 1919 – 28 MAY 1919
After returning from leave Sydney resumed normal post-war duties with the brigade. These generally consisted of maintaining guns, vehicles and equipment, attending parades, training, fatigue duties and preparing stores for disposal or return. The main focus throughout this period was the gradual demobilisation of the AIF.
28–29 MAY 1919 AWL
Being absent without leave for less than a day was a relatively minor offence. The fact that he received only an admonishment and forfeited one day's pay suggests the commanding officer regarded it as a minor lapse rather than serious misconduct.
29 May 1919 – 20 August 1919
Following the disciplinary incident Sydney continued serving with the brigade while awaiting repatriation. This was often the most frustrating period for soldiers, as transport home depended upon the availability of shipping and the demobilisation priority system. During these months he would have continued routine duties, attended inspections and medical examinations, and prepared for return to Australia.
GOING HOME 20 AUGUST 1919
Sydney embarked for Australia aboard the Norman. During the voyage home he would have participated in the normal shipboard routine of parades, physical exercise, recreational activities and troop duties.
CLOTHING AND NECESSITIES GIVEN TO SOLDIERS FOR SOLDIERS PROCEEDING TO AUSTRALIA FOR DEMOBILISATION
Badges Hat Badges Collar (2) Bags kit universal
Bags kit sea Braces (pair) Brush, shaving
Brush, tooth Breeches M.S (Military service)
Cap comforter (warm cap) Comb, hair
Disc identity with cord Drawers (2 pairs)
Great Coat Hat, Khaki fur Hat, white
Holdall Housewife (compact sewing kit)
Jackets Cardigan Jackets S.D (service dress)
Leggings 1 pair Laces, leather 1 pair
Puggarees, small (a traditional Indian head wrap, worn in warm conditions
Puttees, 1 pair (cloth bandages worn by soldiers, to provide support and protection
for the lower leg)
Razor Shirts, flannel (2) Socks, 3 pairs
Singlets (2)
Strap chin Soap piece Suit, working
Towels, hand (2)
Titles “Australia” (4)- Australian soldiers and non-commissioned officers wore an “Australia” title at the base of their shoulder straps. Each serving soldier also wore unit titles above this which indicated the units to which they belonged
DISCHARGE 14 SEPTEMBER 1919
After arriving in Australia, he was processed through the military discharge system and formally discharged on 14 September 1919, bringing to an end almost two years of overseas service during the final year of the Great War and the post-war occupation period.
For his service Sydney was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal
DEATH AND BURIAL
Sydney died on the 23rd January 1987, aged 87, and is buried in Tweed Heads Lawn Cemetery
If you have any additional information about this individual, we invite you to email us at rsl@msmc.org.au.
Memorial Location
We do not know the memorial location of this individual
Buried Location
Tweed Heads Lawn Cemetery
