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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Bert Baker

In memory of:

Private Bert Baker

June 30, 1916

Military Service

Service Number:

58170

Age:

20

Force:

Army

Unit:

Canadian Infantry (Central Ontario Regiment)

Division:

20th Bn.

Additional Information

Born:

July 9, 1895
Derbyshire, United Kingdom

Enlistment:

March 23, 1915
Toronto, Ontario

Commemorated on Page 49 of the First World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.

Burial Information

Cemetery:

OOSTTAVERNE WOOD CEMETERY
Belgium

Grave Reference:

V. G. 24.

Location:

OOSTTAVERNE WOOD CEMETERY is located 6.5 km south of Ieper town centre on the Rijselseweg N336 connecting Ieper to Lille. From Ieper town centre the Rijselsestraat runs from the market square, through the Lille Gate (Rijselpoort) and directly over the crossroads with the Ieper ring road. The road name then changes to the Rijselseweg. 3.5 Km along the Rijselseweg the road forks with the N365. The N336 is the left hand fork towards Lille. The OOSTTAVERNE WOOD CEMETERY is located 2 Km after this left hand fork on the right hand side of the road.

Information courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Digital Collection

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  • Service record– Within the service record of Private Bert Henry Baker is the information that details that the death and burial was reported by the German Government. This was common for Canadian Officers found and buried by the enemy but not so common for the Other Ranks. It was fortunate in the case of Private Baker that all the parties involved kept good records, otherwise he could have very easily been misplaced.

    Details

    Service record
    Service record – Within the service record of Private Bert Henry Baker is the information that details that the death and burial was reported by the German Government. This was common for Canadian Officers found and buried by the enemy but not so common for the Other Ranks. It was fortunate in the case of Private Baker that all the parties involved kept good records, otherwise he could have very easily been misplaced.
  • Document– It was not until the change of address in his Service Record was found that it was known that Mrs. Florence Williams, named on the E-103 as next-of-kin, was his sister.

    Details

    Document
    Document – It was not until the change of address in his Service Record was found that it was known that Mrs. Florence Williams, named on the E-103 as next-of-kin, was his sister.
  • Circumstances of Death Registers– Source: Library and Archives Canada. CIRCUMSTANCES OF DEATH REGISTERS, FIRST WORLD WAR Surnames: Babb to Barjarow. Microform Sequence 5; Volume Number 31829_B016715. Reference RG150, 1992-93/314, 149. Page 419 of 1072.

    Details

    Circumstances of Death Registers
    Circumstances of Death Registers – Source: Library and Archives Canada. CIRCUMSTANCES OF DEATH REGISTERS, FIRST WORLD WAR Surnames: Babb to Barjarow. Microform Sequence 5; Volume Number 31829_B016715. Reference RG150, 1992-93/314, 149. Page 419 of 1072.
  • Circumstances of death registers– This is the reverse side of the Casualty Register for Private Bert Baker. #58170 of the 20th Battalion. He is an interesting case, as it shows that he was originally buried in the Kastelhoek German Cemetery No. 61 in Grave 237. The other reports, also provided here, show that he was initially thought to be lost in 1924 but it was discovered that he had been exhumed and concentrated into the Oosttaverne Wood Cemetery, where he was identified in 1926.

    Details

    Circumstances of death registers
    Circumstances of death registers – This is the reverse side of the Casualty Register for Private Bert Baker. #58170 of the 20th Battalion. He is an interesting case, as it shows that he was originally buried in the Kastelhoek German Cemetery No. 61 in Grave 237. The other reports, also provided here, show that he was initially thought to be lost in 1924 but it was discovered that he had been exhumed and concentrated into the Oosttaverne Wood Cemetery, where he was identified in 1926.
  • War Graves Register– This is the first part of the E-103 War Graves Register that shows that the original intent was to have his name listed on the Menin Gate Memorial, as his remains were not found in the Harlebeke British Cemetery. All that was found there was a Memorial Cross but no remains. It was presumed that his body had been lost due to shell fire. It is noted on the form that he was later found in the Oosttaverne Wood Cemetery.

    Details

    War Graves Register
    War Graves Register – This is the first part of the E-103 War Graves Register that shows that the original intent was to have his name listed on the Menin Gate Memorial, as his remains were not found in the Harlebeke British Cemetery. All that was found there was a Memorial Cross but no remains. It was presumed that his body had been lost due to shell fire. It is noted on the form that he was later found in the Oosttaverne Wood Cemetery.
  • War Graves Register– This is the second part of the E-103 War Graves Register that shows the effort made to contact the next-of-kin to appraise them of the situation and, where possible, the location of the remains. The family was initially advised that the grave had been lost, however it appears that in the two attempts to notify his sister, Mrs. Florence WIlliams, that the letters were returned. His Service Record shows his father was serving with the British Forces in Egypt.

    Details

    War Graves Register
    War Graves Register – This is the second part of the E-103 War Graves Register that shows the effort made to contact the next-of-kin to appraise them of the situation and, where possible, the location of the remains. The family was initially advised that the grave had been lost, however it appears that in the two attempts to notify his sister, Mrs. Florence WIlliams, that the letters were returned. His Service Record shows his father was serving with the British Forces in Egypt.
  • Document– The Last Will of Private Bert Henry Baker shows that his estate was left to his sister. More importantly, we now know that his second name was "Henry". Prior to that he was known on the records as either B. H. Baker or Bert H. Baker.

    Details

    Document
    Document – The Last Will of Private Bert Henry Baker shows that his estate was left to his sister. More importantly, we now know that his second name was "Henry". Prior to that he was known on the records as either B. H. Baker or Bert H. Baker.
  • Entrance

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    Entrance
    Entrance
  • Cemetery

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    Cemetery
    Cemetery
  • Grave Marker

    Details

    Grave Marker
    Grave Marker

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