RAYMOND RUSSELL BAKER

IPSWICH WAR MEMORIAL | Posted on 4th September 2016 |

Picture donated by Mr. C. Elliott.

Born: 21st December 1918, Beccles, Suffolk.

Died: 21st October 1940; age: 21; hit in the back by shrapnel on the 17th October 1940 by an exploding mine on the beach at Gorleston-on-Sea, Norfolk – died in hospital of gangrene.

Residence: 12, Reynolds Road, Ipswich.

Occupation: Grocer’s Assistant – family business.

Rank: Private/Officer’s Driver; Service Number: 5830598.

Regiment: Suffolk Regiment, 4th Battalion.

Grave Reference:

X.C.1.407.

Ipswich New Cemetery,

Ipswich.

Relatives Notified & Address: Son of Robert Russell Baker & Elsie Annie Baker, of Ipswich.

Father: Robert Russell Bull Baker, born April 1883, Ipswich.

Mother: Elsie Annie Baker (nee Fiske), born October 1891, Beccles, Suffolk.

CENSUS

1921 34, Alexandra Road, Beccles, Suffolk.

Raymond was 2 years and 6 months old and lived with his parents and maternal aunt.

Robert Baker, 38 years & 2 months old, Grocer’s Assistant for the Co-operative Society, Saltgate Street, Beccles.

Elsie Baker, 29 years & 8 months old, Home Duties.

Evelyn (Eva) Gladys Fiske, 18 years & 11 months old, a Cashier at Beccles Cinema, Saltgate Street, born Beccles.

ENGLAND & WALES REGISTER 1939

Raymond was a Grocer’s Assistant. He lived with his parents and sister at their family home – 12, Reynolds Road, Ipswich.

Robert, a Master Merchant – Grocer & Provisions.

Elsie, unpaid Domestic Duties.

Molly Irene Baker, born October 1926, Beccles, Suffolk.

Family Note: A Mine was washed up on the beach after a storm at Gorleston, Raymond was driving an officer to the beach for him to inspect the washed-up mine. While the mine was being moved it was set off by accident and Raymond was hit in the back by shrapnel and died in hospital of gangrene.

(Extract from letter from a family member. Mr C. Elliott. June 2015)

“The Baker Family were for many years well-known grocers with at various times, a shop on the Gainsborough Estate and later another in Woodbridge Road, Ipswich. Their only daughter was a young woman who worked for a time at the Ancient House bookshop, and was among the first Suffolk G.I brides to go to America in 1946 but she died out there some years ago and there is now only one surviving son in America. Naturally, the Baker family is not forgotten (I am 86) as I do still attend to their graves from time to time when I visit my native Suffolk. The parents and son are visited from the Belvedere Road entrance. When my cousin was wounded by a mine explosion on the Gorleston sea coast on October 17^th 1940, with the death on the 21^st, I was present at 11. With his parents and my father when he passed on. My own home then was Beccles, Suffolk, and Private Baker, who was an officer’s driver, sometimes drove on to Beccles “on business.””