BAKER, Bert

Bert Baker was born at Dudley and his father lived at 27a Vicar Street, Dudley. He enlisted in the Warwicks and was then transferred to the 1/8th Battalion of the Worcesters. They had suffered severe losses in the German Spring Offensives of March and April 1918 but then fought in the remarkable Advance to Victory from August to November. They broke through the Hindenburg Line at the end of September and their advance continued across open country. On the 4th November the Worcesters were in the second line in the Battle of the River Sambre. It was a day which started in silence at 4.15 a.m. and which achieved the vital element of surprise. It ended with the capture of 250 prisoners and much equipment at the cost of only 4 men killed. One of them was Private Bert Baker. He was 19 years of age and one of the young men called up in 1917 who fought as hard as the volunteers of earlier years. It was the last battle of the Great War and he is buried at Landrecies Communal Cemetery (F 5) and commemorated on the Lye and Wollescote and Lye church Memorials.