Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Sergeant William ‘Billy’ Baker, 2nd Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment, killed in action at the 2nd battle of Ypres on 22 April 1915

1914-15 Star (9016 Cpl. W. Baker, E. York: R.); British War and Victory Medals (9016 Sjt. W. Baker. E. York. R.) together with Bronze Memorial Plaque (William Baker) these all mounted in a contemporary leather hinged-front display case with regimental cap badge, the star gilded, otherwise extremely fine (4) £300-£400

William Baker enlisted into the East Yorkshire Regiment on 24 September 1908, and served in India from 2 February 1910. He served in France with the 2nd Battalion from 15 January 1915, and was killed in action at the 2nd Battle of Ypres on 23 April 1915. On this day the casualties in the 2nd Battalion amounted to 14 officers and 369 men killed. He has no known grave and is commemorated by name on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres.

Also sold with Memorial Scroll (Serjt. William Baker E. Yorkshire Regt.) this additionally inscribed in red ink ‘Died, 23rd April, 1915, at St Jean’, his Soldier’s Small Book, and a regimental Christmas Card, Kandahar Barracks, Fyzabad, 1912, from ‘Billy to both Mother and Nell’. His medals were claimed in May 1921 by ‘Miss Nellie Baker (next of kin)’.