Thank you to Jane Anthony for this research.
John Baker was born in Dorking in 1886. He was the second son of Thomas, a carter on a farm, and his wife Sarah. They also had 4 daughters at that time. In 1891 they were living at Springfield in Westcott. By 1901 they had moved to Witley, where both Thomas and Sarah had been born. In 1901 John is now known as Jack and aged 16, and is, like his father a carter on a farm.
Jack enlisted in the Queens Own Royal West Surrey Regiment at Guildford giving his residence as being Farnham. The 7th Battalion was a Service Battalion who went to France in 1915 and suffered appalling casualties on the Somme, at Ypres and at Amiens. Jack Baker was killed on 5th April 1918 and is commemorated on the memorial at Pozieres.
| Born | Dorking, Surrey | |
| Son of | Thomas and Sarah Baker | |
| Regiment | 7th Battalion. The Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment | |
| Number | G/37024 | |
| Date of Death | 5th April 1918 | |
| Place of Death | Somme, France | |
| Cause of Death | Killed in action | |
| Age | 32 | |
| Memorial | Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France |
