893 Pte G.F. Baker, MM

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Military Medal (MM) (Geo.V) 893 Pte G.F. Baker 1/S/Afr.I.R.;
1914-15 Star; BWM; AVM (Bil.) 

George Frederick Baker was wounded in action at Delville Wood on 16 July 1916. He was later killed in action at Fampoux on 13 April 1917. 

“At Longueval on 16 July during the attack on enemy trench Lt. Craig fell severely wounded out in the open between two trenches. The attack proved successful and the men were brought back.

 

Privates Estment and Baker scaled the parapet and assisted Private Faulds in bringing back Lt. Craig. The return was made under heavy machine gun fire. Private Baker getting two bad wounds. The prompt act saved the officer’s life.”

This was the same Delville Wood action for which William Frederick Faulds was awarded the Victoria Cross. The citation for Fauld’s Victoria Cross in which Baker is mentioned, reads:

“For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty. A bombing party under Lieut. Craig attempted to rush over 40 yards of ground which lay between the British and enemy trenches. Coming under very heavy rifle- and machine-gun fire the officer and the majority of the party were killed or wounded.

 

Unable to move, Lieut. Craig lay midway between the two lines of trench, the ground being quite open. In full daylight Private Faulds, accompanied by two other men, climbed over the parapet, ran out, picked up the officer, and carried him back, one man being severely wounded in so doing. 

 

Two days later Private Faulds again showed most conspicuous bravery in going out alone to bring in a wounded man, and carried him nearly half a mile to a dressing station subsequently re-joining his platoon.

 

The artillery fire was at that time so intense that stretcher bearers and other considered that any attempt to bring in the wounded man meant certain death. This risk Private Faulds faced unflinchingly, and his bravery was crowned with success.”

 

John Buchan, in his history of the South African Forces in France, puts these events in perspective when he writes as follows:-

“All through the furious night of the 15th the troops in Delville Wood were working for dear life at entrenchments. At 2.35 a.m. Lukin received orders from the division that at all costs the northern entrance into Longueval must be blocked, and that for this purpose his Brigade must complete the capture of the northern perimeter of the wood, and advance westwards till they joined hands with the 27th Brigade. ….. while two companies of the 1st South Africans (those which, as has been already explained, had formed a defensive flank at the south-west corner of the wood) were to push north from the Princes Street line.

 

The situation did not allow of a previous military bombardment; but it was arranged that a “preparation” by trench mortars should precede the infantry attack. The advance was made at ten on the Sunday morning and failed completely, since the Royal Scots were held up in their area by a strongly-wired stone redoubt and the South Africans by machine-gun fire from the  ominous orchard between two roads.

 

It was then that Private W.F. Faulds of the 1st Regiment won the first Victoria Cross which fell to the lot of the Brigade. Lieutenant Craig had attempted to reach a  German trench with a bombing section, and had fallen severely wounded half-way between the lines. 

 

He was rescued by Private Faulds, who, along with Privates Baker and Estment, crossed the parapet in broad daylight under a drenching machine-gun and rifle fire.”