|
2363589
Sergeant
Frank Sidney Baker
1919/04/16 - Born Willesden, London
Son of Alpheus and Maria (nee Carter) Baker
Brother to George
Occupation Railway Clerk
1939/10/08 - Enlisted
Next of kin - Father, Alpheus Baker, 45 Pembury Avenue, Penwortham
Royal Corps of Signals
Southern Area Signals
Service
Operator Wireless and Line and Dispatch Rider.
Some of Frank’s training was in Scotland, he trained with Lord Lovat's Commandoes near Fort William.
Frank was stationed at Singapore with the 11th Indian Divisional Signals
1941/12/08 - Japan entered the war by attacking Pearl Harbour, Hong Kong and Malaya.
Japanese troops landed at Singora and Patani, Thailand plus Kota Bharu, Malaya.
The Japanese troops landing at Kota Bharu, soon took control of the airfield and the defending troops then had very little air cover.
The battle hardened Japanese quickly gained a foothold and pushed the defending troops back to Singapore Island.
On the 31st of January 1942, the Causeway joining Malaya to Singapore was blown in an attempt to halt the Japanese troops.
On the night of the 8th of February 1942, the Japanese landed on the North West side of Singapore Island. General Percival had made strong the North East coastline thinking that is where the Japanese would attack, but the Japanese bluff worked, as by the 15th February 1942, Singapore was forced into surrendering.
‘Singapore Surrender’ by Leo Rawlings
1942/05/02 - WO 417/42, Casualty List No. 813. Reported ‘Missing’.
1943/08/12 - WO 417/64, Casualty List No. 1210. Previously shown on Casualty List No. 813 as Missing. Now reported a ‘Prisoner of War’.
Japanese PoW
PoW No. M-388
Japanese Index Card - Side One
Japanese Index Card - Side Two
1942/10/25 - Transported overland to Thailand Letter Party ‘X’, train 1
19th train to Thailand
Commander Lt-Col. C.E. Morrison, 1st Leicesters
Work Group 4
New PoW No. IV 2546
1942/11/01 - Chungkai, 60km from Nong Pladuk
1943/06/20 - L of C Party (Working on communication lines)
1943/10/25 - Rail tracks from Thailand and Burma joined near Konkoita, Thailand
1944/10/10 - Linson, 202.5km from Nong Pladuk
Commander Major Nelson
1945/05/01 - Tha Muang, 38.9km from Nong Pladuk
New PoW No. IV 2341
1945/08/30 - Liberated Thailand
Flown from Bangkok to Rangoon, Burma
Liberation Questionnaire filled in by Frank after being liberated
1945/10/03 - WO417/97-2, Casualty List No. 1874. Previously reported on Casualty List No. 1210 as Prisoner of War now Not Prisoner of War. Previous Theatre of War, Malaya.
Repatriated
1945/09/21 - SS Orduna sailed from Rangoon
With 313 Officers, 1390 Other Ranks and 1 Marine
1945/09/27 - Colombo, Ceylon
1945/10/10 - Port Said
1945/10/19- Arrived Liverpool.
|
|
|
Defence Medal
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pacific Star
|
War Medal
|
1939-1945 Star
|
|
|
|
Post War
1946/01/05 - Married Jennie Smith in Chorley Lancashire
Frank had returned to his job on British Rail and stayed a railway man all his working life. Assistant Station Master at York and finally as Divisional Manager of Passenger Stock and Movements at Preston covering the North West of British Rail.
They were blessed with three boys, Austin , John and Robert (known as Bob)
|
|
|
John and Austin
|
|
Tragedy struck when their eldest son Austin died of polio when he was seven.
Bob and John together with a friend.
John was in the same Corps as Frank and a Junior Leader at Denbury.
The location of the picture is Catterick about 1966/7.
Died
Frank died 26th November 1992
At Chorley, Lancashire
Information
John Baker - Son
Andrew Snow - Thailand Burma Railway Centre
Japanese Transports
Thailand-Burma Railway
Repatriation SS Orduna
KEW Files:- WO 392/23, WO 361/2172, WO 345/3, WO 361/1979, WO 361/1954, WO 361/2196, WO 361/2167, WO 361/2167, WO 361/2189,
|
