Orders, Decorations and Medals

A well-documented World War campaign group of five awarded to Lieutenant-Commander G. P. Baker, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, who won a “mention” for the defence of his ship under enemy air attack in February 1940

1914-15 Star (LZ. 106 G. P. Baker, Sig., R.N.V.R. ); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Defence and War Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf, these four in their original addressed card forwarding box, together with the Dunkerque 1940 Medal, and related dress miniature, extremely fine (7) £300-350

Geoffrey Percival Baker joined the “Wavy Navy” in September 1914 and served as a Signalman until commissioned as a Sub Lieutenant in mid-1916, his wartime appointments taking him to the Dardanelles, Gallipoli and the Adriatic, and in 1919, as a Lieutenant, to the North Sea and the Baltic on mine clearance duties.

Called up again in September 1939, he served briefly in H.M.S. Niger before taking command of the minesweeper Plinlimmon that December, and it was in that capacity that he was mentioned in despatches for his command under enemy air attack in the Channel on 9 February 1940 (London Gazette 16 August 1940 refers). In his official report Baker stated that his command was sweeping the North Tay Approach Channel, about 4 miles from Bell Rock, when two Heinkels appeared on the scene:

‘As the first bombing plane rose from the first attack, Plinlimmon opened fire with the 12-pounder and continued to fire whenever the lanes approached sufficiently near ... The attack on the Plinlimmon was broken off, and a bomber approached on the port side, and attacking with machine-guns. The port Lewis gun was now brought into action, and from my position on the port wing of the bridge I saw tracer bullets spraying on the nose of the machine ... a second machine-gun attack was made from ahead, and this time both Lewis guns, and the 12-pounder, were brought into lay. It is considered that the smart handling of the 12-pounder gun diverted the plane from a contemplated bombing attack, as one projectile from this gun burst close on the plane’s port side, probably being the cause of her altering course slightly away from Plinlimmon, and substituting a machine-gun for a bombing attack. In this second attack the tracer bullets from both port and starboard Lewis guns were seen to lay on the forepart of the attacking plane ... ’

Baker concluded his report by recommending his three gunners for their coolness and efficiency under fire and in common with their skipper, they were subsequently mentioned in despatches. And he and his crew went on to lend valuable service in Operation Dynamo, his accompanying report describing trips to La Panne and Dunkirk on 31 May, when the Plinlimmon was ordered to depart the former place with just 50 men embarked, owing to ‘shells falling all around’, but at Dunkirk picked up a further 900 men, together with fighter ace, Pilot Officer V. B. S. Verity - the latter being plucked from the sea after being shot down. And on 3 June, Baker and his men were ordered to take the paddle minesweeper Oriole to Dunkirk, this time returning to Margate with assorted French and Dutch troops.

Sold with a quantity of original documentation, including ships “Flimsies” for Whitby Abbey for the period March 1918 to January 1919, and Gadetia for the period January to August 1919; his demobilisation certificate, dated November 1919; a typed copy of his report on Plinlimmon’s encounter with enemy aircraft in February 1940; M.I.D. certificate; hand written account of Plinlimmon’s part in the evacuation of Dunkirk, 5pp., on naval communication sheets; hand written copy of his letter applying for promotion, with summary of his active service, dated 2 September 1940; Admiralty Seaman’s Pocket Book (H.M.S.O., 1943), with recipient’s name in ink on the front cover; ship’s “Flimsy” for the R.N. College, Greenwich for the period May 1943 to April 1944, signed by Agar, V.C., of Kronstadt raid fame; Dunkerque Medal 1940 diploma (No. 18415); and a silver-plated letter-opener, with enamelled ‘Bofors’ crest.