Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The ‘G.C. exchange’ Edward Medal (Mines) in bronze awarded to Pony Driver Mr. J. T. Baker, later Royal Army Medical Corps, for his gallantry during a mining rescue at South Garesfield Colliery, County Durham, on 17 May 1929

Edward Medal (Mines), G.V.R., 1st issue, bronze (John Thomas Baker.) very fine £1400-1800

E.M. London Gazette 22 November 1929:

‘On Friday, 17th May, 1929, about 4:30 p.m., a telephone message was received at the office of the South Garesfield Colliery, Durham, that Richard Lowes, one of the Colliery deputies, had been injured during blasting operations Robert Glendinning, an overman, 55 years of age, who was in the office, at once set off down the pit and, collecting two lads, James Sidney Purvis and John Thomas Baker, at the bottom of the shaft, and a tram and stretcher, went in search of Lowes. They were joined by two hewers, John Kenny and Samuel Hughff.
Meanwhile, five other men had been trying to rescue Lowes. Four of them were overcome by carbon monoxide gas, while the fifth managed to crawl out just in time. It was on meeting this man some quarter of a mile from the scene of the accident that Glendinning realised the serious nature of the occurrence. He hurriedly organised his party and, by repeated efforts, they succeeded in extricating the five men who had been gassed. They were fortunately able to save the lives of two but the other three were found to be dead.
The rescue party took such precautions as were possible at the time but first Kenny and then Hughff were rendered conscious. After they had, with difficulty, been removed from the danger area Glendinning sent Purvis for further help and continued the rescue work with the assistance of Baker. Baker was next overcome, and Glendinning was also affected by the fumes, but he continued his efforts until, when further help had arrived, he was able to bring out the last of the victims of the accident. He then collapsed and had to be carried out from the pit.
For an hour, during the whole of which time the atmosphere was thick with smoke and carbon monoxide gas, Glendinning showed great courage and resource and displayed high qualities of organisation in directing the rescue operations. He himself and Baker, Hughff, Kenny, and Purvis under his leadership, knowingly and repeatedly risked their lives in determined and sustained efforts to save the lives of their fellows, and there is no doubt that, but for their courageous action, the death roll would have been much heavier than it was.’

Note: For this action Robert Glendinning was awarded a silver Edward Medal, and Baker, Hughff, Kenny, and Purvis, were awarded bronze Edward Medals.

John Thomas Baker was born at Lintz Colliery, Burnopfield, Newcastle upon Tyne, on 14 April 1912 and was educated at Leazes Elementary School near Gateshead. At 14 he left school to become a pit lad at South Garesfield Colliery, near Rolands Gill, Co. Durham, and by 1929 was employed as a Pony Driver. For his part in the rescue he was also awarded the Scouts' Bronze Cross and the certificate of the Carnegie Hero Fund Trust. He served throughout the Second World War in the Royal Army Medical Corps, and saw action in Palestine, Egypt, India, Iraq and Belgium. In civilian life he was employed successively as a hotel chef from 1946 until 1952, as a car factory worker from 1952 until 1960, and finally as a boiler attendant from 1960 until his retirement in 1977. On 21 October 1971, as a living recipient of the Edward Medal, he was deemed, by Royal Warrant, to be a recipient of the George Cross, and subsequently exchanged his award. He always attended V.C. and G.C. Association reunions, and died on 7 December 2000.