Africa General Service 1902-56, 2 clasps, Somaliland 1902-04, Jidballi (4887 Corpl. J. Baker, Hamp. Regt.) very fine £200-250

John Baker was born in Aldershot and enlisted in the Hampshire Regiment in August 1896, aged 20 years - he had earlier served in the Militia and in the 1st Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers, from whom he purchased his discharge in November 1894. During his subsequent career with the Hampshires, he served in the East Indies 1898-1903 and in ‘Aden Arabia 3 February 1903 to 18 May 1904’, in which latter year he was also advanced to Corporal. He was discharged at Winchester in the rank of Lance-Sergeant in August 1908, when he was placed on the Army Reserve.

Recalled on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, he went out to France as a Sergeant in the 1st Battalion, Hampshire Regiment in the following month and was posted missing in April 1915. That September, however, he was confirmed as a P.O.W. in Germany and in October 1918 he was repatriated via Holland. Baker was demobilised in February 1919.