|
A Royal Canadian Navy Historical Project
In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar
BAKER, John Aubrey - 87, Belnan, Hants Co., died January 1, 2000, in the Veterans' Memorial Building, QEII. Born in Herring Cove, he was a son of the late George William and Florence (Brown) Baker. He was a veteran of the Merchant Navy and Royal Canadian Navy. He was employed with the CNR in Halifax, Montreal and retired as operations officer with Grand Trunk Rail Road, Chicago, Illinois. He was a member of St. James Anglican Church, Herring Cove. He is survived by his wife, the former Isabel E. (Spence); son, Bryan, Ottawa; Barrie and wife Susan, Halifax; Glenn and his wife Debbie, Belnan, Hants Co.; sister, Anita Erickson, Bedford; grandchildren, Hannah, Martha, David, Sara, Mark, Trudi; great-grandchildren, Emily and Chloe; many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his sisters, Edyth Day, Eileen Taylor; brother, Alfred. Cremation has taken place and a memorial service will be held 2 p.m. Tuesday, at St. James Anglican Church, Herring Cove, Rev. Ron Appleton officiating. Reception to follow in church hall. Family flowers only. Donations may be made to the Alzheimer Society of Nova Scotia or St. James Anglican Church, Herring Cove. Arrangements entrusted to Cruikshank's Halifax Funeral Home.
Aubrey enlisted 25 Aug 1942 in Halifax, NS, and commenced Active Service on 28 Nov 1942. He was demobilized at Halifax on 19 Oct 1945.
Awards and Decorations: The 1939-45 Star; The Atlantic Star with France & Germany Clasp; The Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with Clasp; The War Medal 1939-45
A Chance Meeting: It was the early 1970s and my father and one of my brothers were driving along a narrow dirt road outside Halifax. As they slowed to pass an approaching car the driver suddenly called out, "Aubrey Baker, I thought you were dead." My father recognized the man as one of his shipmates during the war. They had served together for a short time and then gone their separate ways. The man told my father that later in the war he learned that a ship he thought my father was on had been torpedoed and sunk with the loss of everyone on board. Chance meetings between former shipmates may not often have been as startling as this one, but given the thousands who had been in uniform they cannot have been unusual. - Submitted by Bryan Baker
Ships served in: HMCS ANNAPOLIS - Drafted to Annapolis 09 Aug 1943 * Rated LS 04 Mar 1944 HMCS ETTRICK - Served in Ettrick 12 Apr 1944 (reported onboard 17 Apr 1944) HMCS KIRKLAND LAKE - Served in Kirkland Lake 02 Aug 1944 - 11 Oct 1944 HMCS SASKATCHEWAN - Drafted to Saskatchewan 22 Nov 1944
(AB01-AB05) Record of Aubrey's service that was kept by his wife, Isabel (née Spence), from when he joined to when he was demobilized
(AB06) Aubrey's Certificate of Discharge (AB07) Authorization to wear War Service Pin (AB08) Statement of Service
(AB09-AB10) Aubrey and Isabel (AB11) Aubrey's trade badge - Layer Rating 2nd Class (AB12) Aubrey's rank badge - Leading Seaman
(AB13) HMCS SASKATCHEWAN, an RN cruiser and a KGV Class Battleship - London, 1945 (AB14) A 13-cm piece of shrapnel from a German V-2 rocket
(AB15) Aubrey in New Entry Training at HMCS CORNWALLIS, Halifax, NS Click on the above photo to view a larger image
Aubrey Baker, 4th Row, 3rd from left
A mess deck on HMCS SASKATCHEWAN Click on the above photo to view a larger image
Aubrey Baker - 1st on right
|
For Posterity's Sake 
