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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

John Vincent Baker

In memory of:

Rifleman John Vincent Baker

December 25, 1941
Fort Stanley, Hong Kong

Military Service


Service Number:

C/40665

Age:

18

Force:

Army

Unit:

Royal Rifles of Canada, R.C.I.C.

Citation(s):

1939-1945 Star, Pacific Star, War Medal 1939-1945, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp, Defence of Hong Kong Medal and Bar.

Additional Information


Born:

January 12, 1923
Toronto, Ontario

Enlistment:

June 5, 1940
Ottawa, Ontario

Son of Wilbur Baker and Mary Ethel Higgins, of Campbellford, Ontario. Brother of Edward Charles Baker, who served with the Royal Canadian Air Force and survived the war.

John Vincent served with the 1st Midland Regiment – NPAM, then with the regular forces of that regiment, transferred on 8 January 1941 to the 1st Battalion, Royal Rifles of Canada, he served in Newfoundland with Force W, then in Québec, in Hong Kong with Force C. He had 569 days of service, including 59 overseas.

Commemorated on Page 23 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.

Burial Information


Cemetery:
Grave Reference:

5. C. Coll. grave 4-20.

Location:

STANLEY MILITARY CEMETERY, originally the Military Cemetery in which members of the Hong Kong Garrison and their families were buried, is situated just beyond the small fishing village of Stanley in the southern part of Hong Kong island on the Tai Tam Peninsula, which has Stanley Bay on the west and Tai Tam Bay on the north. From Stanley Village take the Wong Ma Kok Road. The cemetery is adjacent St Stephens College and is close to St Stephen's beach. It is reached from Victoria by car along a winding, hilly road which at first overlooks the harbour and mainland. After climbing to the pass called Wong Nei Cheng Gap the road descends to the sea at Repulse Bay and then continues along the rocky hillside to Stanley village.

Information courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Digital Collection

Send us your images

  • Newspaper clipping– From the Toronto Telegram January  1943. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Grave Marker– Rifleman JOHN VINCENT BAKER  was one of the 290 Canadian soldiers killed during the defense of Hong Kong, from December 8th to December 25th, 1941
  • Canada and the Defence of Hong Kong.– Source:  Veterans Affairs Canada.
  • Canadian Casualties in the Defense of Hong Kong and its Aftermath– Source: Veterans Affairs Canada.

Learn more about the Canadian Virtual War Memorial

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