The Roll of Honour, Volume 1 : A biographical record of all members of His…
1914. Lieut.-Col. Clinton-Baker was one of four officers R.I.R.--out
915 words | Chapter 6
of 22--who passed unhurt through Neuve Chapelle. He was killed in
action during the abortive attack near Fromelles on 9 May, 1915. The
battn. had to face a perfect inferno of machine guns and rifle fire
as soon as they mounted their own parapet after the lifting of the
guns. It appears that after the Rifles had carried the first line of
trenches allotted to them, and had advanced to the road beyond, the
enemy concentrated a terrible fire on them. The General in command of
the Brigade was killed and a battn., which was to have come up and
relieved the Rifles, was not sent forward. The Rifles held on to the
position and were being enfiladed, when Lieut.-Col. Clinton-Baker took
a party to the right flank to prevent this, a similar party being sent
to the left. It was when he was with his party, which was practically
annihilated, that he was shot. A good cricketer, fine shot and keen
polo player, he, with other officers, won for his regt. King George’s
Cup for polo at Aden in 1914. He was _unm._
[Illustration: =Osbert Clinton-Baker.=]
=BAKER, WILLIAM HENRY=, Ordinary Seaman, S.S. 4754, H.M.S.
Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=BAKER, WILLIAM JOHN=, Blacksmith, 341057, H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in
action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=BALCOMBE, FREDERICK=, Stoker, P.O., 276783, H.M.S. Hawke; lost in
action in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914; _m._
=BALDING, ROBERT=, A.B. (R.F.R., B. 6413), 190103, H.M.S. Aboukir;
lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=BALDOCK, WILLIAM ROBERT=, Stoker, 1st Class, K. 14609, H.M.S.
Pathfinder; lost when that ship was sunk by a mine, about 20 miles off
the East Coast, 5 Sept. 1914.
=BALDWIN, ANTHONY HUGH=, Brig.-Gen. Comdg., 38th Infantry Brigade,
late Manchester Regt., only _s._ of James Baldwin, of Smithies
Bridge, Clitheroe, co. Lancaster, by his wife, Ann, dau. of James
Part; _b._ Stratford-on-Avon, co. Warwick, 30 Sept. 1863; educ.
Clitheroe Grammar School and Giggleswick; obtained his first commission
as Lieut. in 1st Manchester Regt. from the Militia, 14 May, 1884, being
promoted Capt. 3 Feb. 1892; Major 15 Dec. 1900; Lieut.-Col. 17 Feb.
1908; substantive Col. 4 Oct. 1911; Col. 13 Aug. 1914; and Brig.-Gen.
24 Aug. 1914. He joined the 2nd Battn. in India in 1888, served with
it at Agra, Meerut and Dinapore, and was Adjutant from 5 July, 1891,
to 4 Aug. 1895 when he returned to England. From 14 Nov. 1898, to 13
Nov. 1903, he was Adjutant of the 6th (Militia) Battn., and was at
the depôt at Ashton-under-Lyne until July, 1902, when he went out
with this battn. to South Africa, and took part in the operations in
the Orange River Colony, March to 31 May, 1902, receiving the King’s
medal with three clasps. On his return in Sept. he served with the 2nd
Battn. at Aldershot, Cork, Alderney, Portsmouth and Mullingar, and in
1910 returned to India to command the 1st Battn. He was present at the
Delhi Durbar (medal), and 1 June, 1914, retired on half-pay. On the
outbreak of the European War he offered his services and was given the
command of the 38th Infantry Brigade, 13th Division, 5 Sept. 1914,
which he trained at Tedworth, Winchester and Blackdown, and took to
the Dardanelles on 14 June, 1915. He was killed at its head on 10 Aug.
1915, in an attack on Chanak, about a month after landing. The Brigade
after his fall were forced to retreat, and his body was not recovered.
The A.D.C. to the Divisional General wrote: “He died in the front line
leading his Brigade--he died as a gallant English gentleman, beloved,
honoured, respected and mourned by all. He met his death as I am sure
he must have wished, absolutely in the front line of his splendid
Brigade.” And the Brigade Machine Gun Officer: “In General Baldwin the
Brigade has lost a wonderfully capable leader, cool and collected in
the moment of danger, always ready with a cheery word and a smile to
help those who, not having his nerve, were not so collected as he. In
quiet times a more charming and considerate officer could not be found.
His kindness and consideration for the junior members of his staff, and
indeed for everybody, down to the merest drummer boy, were wonderful,
and he held the heart and affection of every man he commanded.” Gen.
Baldwin _m._ in London, Emily Seabrooke, dau. of the late Thomas
Dyson, of the Bank of Bengal, and had issue: Mary Violet, _d._ 25
June, 1913; and Betty, _b._ 1 Sept. 1899.
[Illustration: =Anthony Hugh Baldwin.=]
=BALDWIN, JOSIAH=, Stoker, R.N.R., 2537T, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in
action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=BALL, ALBERT RANSOME=, Lieut., A Coy., 10th Battn. 2nd Brigade,
Canadian Expeditionary Force, _s._ of William Lee Ball, of 155,
Wellington Crescent, Winnipeg, by his wife, Nellie Lenore, dau. of
William M. Ransome; _b._ Richmond, P. Quebec, Canada, 21 April,
1891, removing with his parents to Winnipeg in 1903, and was educ.
there and at Trinity College School, Port Hope, Ontario. He was engaged
in commercial pursuits, but on the declaration of war felt it his duty
to join the Colours, and enlisted in the 106th Winnipeg L.I., which
was united with the 103rd Calgary to compose the 10th Battn. They left
Quebec with the first Canadian Contingent in Oct. 1914, and after
training on Salisbury Plain during the winter, went to France in Feb.
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