BAKER, James Daniel

DIVISIONAL UNIT:        1st Canadian Infantry Division
                                             1st Infantry Brigade
                                             1st Battalion - Western Ontario
                                             Canadian Infantry Corps
SERVICE NO:                   651709
RESIDENCE:                    St. Helens – Ontario 
DATE OF BIRTH:            July 6, 1883
                                             Kinloss Township –Bruce County - Ontario 
DATE OF DEATH:           September 27, 1918             35 years     2 months
CEMETERY:          Ontario Cemetery – Sains-les-Marquion –
                                             Pas de Calais – France
                                             II     A     16
WIFE:                                 Rebecca Baker – Lucknow - Ontario                         
PARENT:                           Mr. James and Zillah Baker – Lucknow – Ontario
Occupation:                        Thresher                               Religion:     Presbyterian
Enlistment:          Lucknow – February 14, 1916 – into 160th Bruce Battalion
Enlistment Age:                 32 years     7 months

Private Baker and the 160th Battalion departed from Halifax and Canadian shores on October 17, 1916 and arrived in England on October 28, 1916.
Private Baker arrived in Liverpool and then moved to Witley Camp - Surrey. He was then attached to the 2nd Reserve Depot whilst he attended courses at Bramshott - Hampshire in February 1917.
While he was at Bramshott - Hampshire in England he was hospitalized with scalp wounds and lacerations and a leg injury while taking part in a route march when a Ford truck drove between two platoons striking Private Baker. He returned to duly on 
October 8, 1917.
He transfers to the 1st Battalion and he goes to France in and joins his unit already in the field on March 4, 1918. Then he is admitted to No. 3 Canadian Field Ambulance with shoulder wounds on April 26, 1918 and returns to his unit that same day.
Private Baker was wounded during military operations with his Battalion near the Canal du Nord on 
September 27th.  As he was going to the Dressing Station, he was instantly killed from the bullet of an enemy sniper.
The Division barrage began at 5:20 am, there was a feeble enemy reply which fell on Inchy and the Buissy Switch.
The Canal du Nord seemed to be heavily defended by the enemy with machine-gun nests and trench mortars and well concealed dugouts.
“D” & “C” led off at 6 am, with “B” & “A” following. Then at 8:15 am the advance met heavy enemy machine-gun fire especially at the railway with progress being slow. Enemy fire was coming from the railway embankment.
However, at 11am the Green line was taken and consolidated. At 2 pm “A” Company was on the sunken road with “B” consolidating a two platoon front followed by “D” Company who advanced and consolidated on the railway. The Companies then dug in at their objectives, consolidated for the night. 
Casualties were 20 men killed and 110 men wounded.