Private John Andrew Baker
Service #: 2616
Summary
BACKGROUND
John Andrew Baker was born in Murwillumbah in 1890, son of James & Mary Baker.
ATTESTATION
John travelled to Brisbane on the 23 June 1916 to complete his application. He answered several questions on the document, and we find out he was a single man and gave his occupation as labourer. His next of kin was his mother, Mary, of Church Hill, Murwillumbah. 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, John Andrew 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
John was 26 years 2 months old. He was 5ft 4 ½ inches tall (1.63m) and weighed 135 lbs (56 kgs). He had a dark complexion, brown eyes and brown hair. His eyesight was good and he had scars on his lift knee. John was Roman Catholic
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. John was in Enoggera training camp when this was completed on 23rd October 1916. 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 as a private in the 47th Battalion, 6th reinforcements with service Number 2616
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.
VOYAGE OVERSEAS FROM BRISBANE TO ENGLAND OCTOBER 1916
On the 27th October 1916 the recruits left Brisbane, sailing upon the HMAT Marathon A74. Alongside his comrades, John 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. In an attempt 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, where the ship would refuel & take on supplies, 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. The danger was greatest in the Western Approaches near Britain, where U-boats patrolled choke points like the English Channel and Irish Sea.
EGYPT
After several weeks at sea, the men finally saw the dusty shoreline of Port Said or Alexandria. They could only wonder at the sights and sounds they could see as they watched the ship being refuelled and goods taken on board
ENGLAND
About a fortnight later the men finally saw the green shoreline of England. The reality of leaving home truly sank in. The recruits would soon exchange the ship’s cramped decks for the training grounds of England, preparing for what lay ahead.
ENGLISH TRAINING CAMP JANUARY 1917
They disembarked in Plymouth on the 9th January 1917. 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: 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
Winter made conditions increasingly difficult. The winds sweeping across Salisbury Plain became bitter, and training often continued in rain, frost and mud. For Australian soldiers accustomed to warmer climates, the English winter could be an uncomfortable introduction to European conditions. Nevertheless, the harsh weather provided valuable preparation for service on the Western Front.
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.
FRANCE MARCH 1917
The troops left England for France on the 13th March 1917. After crossing the English Channel, the reinforcements usually landed at one of the great base ports such as Le Havre, Rouen, Boulogne or Étaples. From there they were not sent directly to their battalion. Instead, they entered the Australian Base Depots, where records were checked, equipment inspected and final preparations made before they moved forward.
The journey to the battalion was often made in stages. Reinforcements travelled by train, lorry and sometimes on foot through the rear areas, gradually moving closer to the sound of the guns. Along the way they would encounter the immense logistical system that supported the armies in France—supply depots, ammunition dumps, field hospitals and transport columns stretching across the countryside.
TAKEN ON STRENGTH MARCH 1917
On 23rd March John was taken on strength with the 47th Infantry battalion. 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
John joined the 47th Battalion, arriving during a period when the battalion was heavily engaged in the preparations for the great offensives that followed the German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line. After the bitter fighting and hardships of the winter months on the Somme, the Australians spent much of the spring advancing through the devastated countryside abandoned by the retreating Germans. The battalion alternated between front-line duty, support positions and reserve areas, while carrying out trench construction, wiring parties, patrol work and training exercises. Although periods away from the front provided some relief, there was never a complete escape from enemy artillery fire, and casualties continued to occur even during quieter periods.
BELGIUM JUNE AND JULY 1917
During June and July 1917, the 47th Battalion moved north into Belgium as part of the build-up for the Third Battle of Ypres, better known as Passchendaele. The men spent weeks rehearsing attacks, improving roads and communication trenches, carrying supplies forward and occupying sectors of the line around Messines and Ypres. By August the battalion was involved in the fighting associated with the Allied offensive east of Ypres, where artillery bombardments, machine-gun fire and difficult ground conditions made every movement dangerous.
THE THIRD BATTLE OF YPRES KNOWN AS BATTLE OF PASSCHENDAELE, (JULY 31–NOVEMBER 6, 1917),
This battle that served as a vivid symbol of the mud, madness, and senseless slaughter of the Western Front. The third and longest battle to take place at the Belgian city of Ypres, Passchendaele was ostensibly an Allied victory, but it was achieved at enormous cost for a piece of ground that would be vacated the following year. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers on opposing sides attacked and counterattacked across sodden, porridgelike mud, in an open gray landscape almost empty of buildings or natural cover, all under the relentless harrowing rain of exploding shells, flying shrapnel, and machine-gun fire. Few gains were made.
The Third Battle of Ypres is remembered for its immense human cost and the resilience of those who fought in it
WOUNDED IN ACTION AUGUST 1917
On 19 August 1917 John became one of the battalion's casualties when he suffered a gunshot wound to the buttock. While the available records provide no further details, such wounds commonly resulted from rifle or machine-gun fire during attacks, patrols or while moving through exposed positions. He would have received immediate treatment from regimental stretcher bearers before being evacuated through the chain of medical stations behind the lines.
EVACUATED ENGLAND SEPTEMBER 1917
His wound proved serious enough to require transfer to England for further treatment. On 6 September 1917 he embarked aboard the hospital transport Princess Elizabeth and crossed the English Channel. The following day he was admitted to the Military Hospital at Brighton, one of the many hospitals established to care for wounded soldiers arriving from France. There he spent several weeks recovering from his wound under medical supervision. Treatment would likely have included wound cleaning, dressing changes, rest and gradual rehabilitation to restore strength and mobility.
REFRESHER COURSE NOVEMBER 1917
By early November John had recovered sufficiently to be declared fit for further service. On 10 November 1917 he proceeded overseas to France from the Overseas Training Brigade at Deverell. Like many men returning from wounds, he underwent a period of refresher training and physical conditioning before being sent back to the front. This ensured that returning soldiers were physically capable of enduring the demands of trench warfare and were familiar with any new tactics introduced during their absence.
REJOINED UNIT NOVEMBER 1917
After crossing back to France and completing the necessary administrative procedures, John finally rejoined the 47th Battalion on 26 November 1917. He returned to a unit that had endured the terrible fighting of Passchendaele and was settling into the long winter campaign in Flanders. Having recovered from his wound and completed retraining, he once again took his place among the battalion's ranks on the Western Front.
After John rejoined the 47th Battalion, he returned to a unit that was spending the winter in the Ypres sector of Belgium. The terrible fighting around Passchendaele had largely ended, but conditions remained appalling. Much of the battalion's time was occupied with trench maintenance, carrying parties, wiring, patrol work, and enduring the cold, wet winter. Casualties continued from shellfire, snipers, sickness, and exposure even when no major offensives were underway.
DECEMBER 1917 TO EARLY 1918
During December 1917 and the opening months of 1918, the 47th Battalion rotated between front-line trenches, support positions, and periods of rest behind the lines. John would have been involved in rebuilding shattered defences and preparing for the expected German offensive. The battalion was then moved south as the Germans launched their great Spring Offensive in March 1918.
LATE MARCH- EARLY APRIL 1918
By late March and early April 1918, the 47th Battalion was heavily engaged in the desperate fighting around Dernancourt and the Somme battlefields. The German Army was attempting to break through towards Amiens, and Australian troops were rushed into action to halt the advance. The fighting was confused, fast-moving and extremely dangerous, with units often becoming intermixed amid heavy shellfire and attacks.
MISSING IN ACTION APRIL 1918
It was during these operations that John was reported Missing in Action on 5 April 1918. In many cases, a man initially listed as missing had either been killed, wounded and isolated, or captured by advancing enemy troops. John's later records confirm that he had fallen into German hands and became a prisoner of war.
Although his record does not identify the camp in which he was held, John would have spent approximately eight months as a prisoner of war. Australian prisoners were generally transferred through a series of collecting centres before being allocated to camps in Germany. Conditions varied considerably. Food shortages became increasingly severe during 1918 due to the Allied blockade, and many prisoners depended heavily on parcels sent through the Red Cross. Most prisoners were employed on work detachments and endured long periods of uncertainty while awaiting the end of the war.
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
RELEASE OF PRISONERS
Following the Armistice of 11 November 1918, the release of prisoners began. John was repatriated through England, arriving at Dover on 30 November 1918, remarkably soon after the cessation of hostilities. After medical examinations, processing, and leave arrangements, he moved through the prisoner-of-war reception system.
The entry of 24 December 1918 reflects further movement through the repatriation organisation, part of the administrative process of returning former prisoners to normal military control before eventual return home
DISCIPLINED JANUARY 1919
The disciplinary entry of 6 January 1919 looks harsh by modern standards but was fairly typical of the army. Being AWL (Absent Without Leave) from 10:00 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. meant John was technically absent from his appointed place of duty for thirty minutes. The punishment was not imprisonment but a financial penalty. The notation can be confusing because the army often recorded both the current forfeiture and the cumulative total. In John's case, Major Howard awarded forfeiture of 2 days' pay for the offence, while the notation "Total forfeiture 4 days" likely means he already had 2 days of forfeited pay recorded previously, bringing the running total to 4 days.
GRANTED LEAVE JANUARY 1919
On 11 January 1919, John was granted an extension of leave. The original leave was probably granted automatically upon his arrival in England as a repatriated prisoner of war, but the earlier approval was simply not entered in the surviving record.
LETTER TO HIS MOTHER RE RELEASE JANUARY 1919
On the 11th January 1919, Base Records wrote to John’s mother, advising her that John has been repatriated from Germany to England and arrived on 29th November 1918
PREPARING TO GO HOME JANUARY 1919
He was then posted to No. 2 Command Depot on 13 January 1919. Command depots were used to process returned prisoners, wounded men, and others awaiting return to Australia. There, John would have undergone medical assessments, completed paperwork, and waited for transport home.
GOING HOME MARCH 1919
Finally, on 5 March 1919, John embarked aboard the troopship Nevasa for Australia. After nearly four years of service, including wounds, front-line fighting, capture by the enemy, and months of imprisonment in Germany, he reached home
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
DISCHARGED JUNE 1919
John was discharged on 8 June 1919, bringing his wartime service to an end.
For his service John was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal and his name is recorded on the Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial
If you have any additional information about this individual, we invite you to email us at rsl@msmc.org.au.
Memorial Location
Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial
Buried Location
We do not know the burial location of this individual
