George Albert Edward Baker was born in Reigate, Surrey on Saturday, 27th November 1880 and was baptised two months later on Sunday 30th January 1881. He was born to George and Mary Jane Baker. George’s father, George Snr., was a ‘Publican’ and ran the Admiral Pub, where George was born, on Nutley Lane, in Reigate. The pub still stands today. It is not known how George came to Hemel Hempstead, but he was living and working in the area when he met Florence Alice Birchmore, a local girl from Boxmoor and they soon became sweethearts. George married Florence at St John the Evangelist Church in Boxmoor on Monday, 16th April 1900. Florence had been baptised in the same church, as an adult, only three years previously along with her baby brother Sidney.

The young couple set up home at 14 Albert Street, in nearby Watford, where George worked as a ‘House Painter’ and ‘Gas Fitter’. In January 1901, Florence gave birth to their first child, a boy they named George Sidney Arnold. Two years later in 1903, he was followed by his little sister Florence Violet Priscilla. By the time of the next census in 1911, the family had moved a short distance to 17 Merton Road, Watford and George worked for Rickmansworth Urban District Council as a ‘Gas Fitter’.

Sometime after 1911 George came back to Hemel Hempstead with his family when he started work in Home Park Mills for John Dickinson & Co. Limited. He moved to 63 Horsecroft Road in Boxmoor with his wife and children and it was from there that he went to war. Florence did not remarry after George was killed and she continued to live in the same house at 63 Horsecroft Road until her death in 1961, when she was eighty-eight years old.

John Dickinson was the largest employer in the area and on the outbreak of war many eligible employees immediately sought to enlist. The diary of Home Park Mills where George worked, recorded the following: “Our men went so willingly that it was rather a question of restraining indispensable men from volunteering rather than urging any of our men to go. The retreat from Mons [23rd August to 5th September 1914] had its effect on our men as on the whole of our countrymen and the reverses only increased the number of those who felt it their duty to enlist” The whole of John Dickinsons, including Home Park Mills, became dedicated to the war effort and the employees who remained were engaged in the production of trench mortars. These jobs were ‘starred’ or reserved, and in 1916, following the passing of the Military Service Act, Dickinsons fought hard in the local ‘Tribunals’ to ensure it retained skilled men to continue this important work. Over 1600 men did leave the company to volunteer and thirteen former employees from Home Park Mills lost their lives in the Great War.

George sought permission to enlist from his employer and attested at Hemel Hempstead in October 1914, enlisting with the Hertfordshire Regiment. He was posted to the 2nd Battalion at Hertford to begin his basic training. By early November 1914 the 2nd Herts already had its full complement of men and recruiting ceased.

George’s trade as a ‘Gas Fitter’ meant that he was soon singled out and transferred to train with one of the new ‘Special Companies’ of the Royal Engineers. The Great War was the first in which chemical weapons were deployed. There was great moral shock and outrage at the first use of Chlorine, released by the Germans against defenceless French troops in the Ypres Salient. The Special Companies of the Royal Engineers were formed to develop the British response. By 1918, gas was used both offensively and defensively, delivered by a range of sophisticated techniques. George’s experience as a Gas Fitter suited him to the task and he joined other technically skilled men to begin his training. All the men of the Special Companies were given the rank ‘Chemist Corporal’

He had completed his training by early 1916 and he was sent overseas, posted to 5th (Mortar) Battalion No.1 Special Company Royal Engineers, which was allocated to the Third Army. This was a section specialised in handling and firing gas shells from 4-inch Stokes mortars. Each Company was made up of four sections each armed with twelve weapons. Much of George’s time in France was spent laying down gas shell bombardment at the start of attacks, so he saw action throughout 1916 and 1917. By November, now promoted Serjeant, he was in the vicinity of Cambrai in France and took part in the Operations there, starting on the 20th November.

Cambrai was the first mass attack by British Tanks supporting the assaulting troops and despite initial success, particularly the capture of Bourlon Wood, the actions soon turned to tragedy. The Germans launched a massive counter-attack and over three days bombarded the allied soldiers in the captured wood with over 16,000 shells. This all but wiped out some battalions and inflicted a huge number of casualties.

In late November and early December the German retaliation continued to good effect until the Battle concluded on the 7th December. The official figures state that around 44,000 allied troops and 179 tanks were lost, whilst the Germans incurred 45,000 casualties.

George was one on this huge number of men to fall and was wounded as some point in the early action. He was taken out of the line and evacuated to No.10 Field Ambulance but he did not recover from his injuries.

He died of his wounds on Saturday, 1st December 1917.

He is commemorated on the John Dickinson & Co. Limited War Memorial in Apsley and on the War Memorial Plaque in St. John the Evangelist Church, Boxmoor where he and Florence had married.

George is Remembered with Honour in the Windmill British Cemetery, Monchy-Le-Preux, Pas-de-Calais, France where he is interred in Grave I. G. 21. The inscription on his headstone, requested by his wife Florence, reads: “GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN”.

He was 37 years old when he died.

George was eligible for the British War Medal and the Allied Victory Medal.