Son of Mary. Husband of Agnes (nee Neill) whom he married whilst on furlough from the Middle East in 1944; father of Bruce and Neill.

Attested 13 September 1939. Promoted Corporal 5 December 1939. Appointed Lance Sergeant 22 March 1941; promoted to Sergeant 25 July 1941. Appointed to 2nd Lieutenant 15 August 1942.

Awarded the MC 23 November 1943. The citation includes: during the whole period from Alamein to the end of the North African campaign Baker commanded a Signal Section attached to a Field Regiment. He was commended for anticipating the situation, being ready for an emergency, personally laying the line when the situation was difficult owing to enemy action and he never spared himself in the reconnaissance of routes so that his line detachment had the best cover available. "He personally and with no other assistance laid and picked up line in unmarked minefields thick with S mines and booby traps should be established with the utmost celerity. This Officer over a long and difficult period gave an excellent example of gallant action under fire, fine leadership in difficult circumstances and technical precision under most adverse conditions. The efficient fire control of the Regiment in the Battle of Medinine and at other equally critical times was very largely possible owing to his Signal organisation".

Returned to New Zealand with the furlough draft March 1944.

Re - embarked as a Lieutenant, promoted 15 August 1943, disembarked at Freemantle with fracture of left elbow, returned to New Zealand with permanent injury, disembarked New Zealand ex Maunganui 5 August 1944.

Struck off strength April 1944.

Served with the 2NZEF 5 October 1939 - 4 April 1945, overseas 5 January 1940 - 7 March 1944, and 29 June 1944 - 5 August 1944.

Applied for a commission in the Territorial Service 20 June 1949

Capt R. A. Baker, MC, EM, m.i.d.; Dunedin; born Dunedin, 31 May 1913; optician; OC F Sec Sigs Sep 1942-Apr 1943, H Sec May-Dec 1943. (Source: Borman, C.A. Divisional Signals. p.165.) AWMM