Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Henry Fortune Baker an iron foundry moulder, born on the 1st November 1859 in Southwark, Surrey and baptised on the 14th December 1859 in the Church of St. George the Martyr, Southwark (son of Henry Senden Baker, 1815-1869 and Eliza Smith, 1816-1869) and his wife Eliza, Baker (nee Pratt, married on the 6th July 1885 in St. Peter’s Church, Belper), born in the April quarter of 1860 in Belper, Derbyshire (daughter of Thomas Pratt, 1823-1906 and Mary Shaw, 1827-1898). James Ivial, was born in the July quarter of 1889 in Belper and baptised on the 6th October 1889 in St. Peter’s Church, Belper, he had one sibling, Verla, born in the July quarter of 1887 in Belper and baptised as Verlia on the 7th August 1887 in St. Peter’s Church, Belper, in April 1891 the family were residing as lodgers at Gibfield Lane, Belper, this being the family home of James’ maternal grandfather, Thomas Pratt, a hosiery trade framework knitter, born 1827 in Middleton, Northamptonshire and his wife, Mary Pratt, born 1827 in Belper and their children, Samuel, a hosiery trade framework knitter, born in the October quarter of 1864 and John, a hosiery trade framework knitter, born in the April quarter of 1867, the latter two children were both born in Belper.
In March 1901 James was residing in the family home at 24, Glen Gate, South Wigston, together with his father, an iron foundry moulder, his mother and siblings, Verla, a hosiery trade runner on, Henry Montague, born 1894 in Belper and Mary Lizzie, born 1896 in Wigston.
In April 1911 James was employed as a boot trade finisher and was residing in the family home at 24, Glen Gate, South Wigston, Leicestershire together with his father, an iron foundry moulder, his mother and siblings, Verla, a hosiery trade linker, Henry, a boot trade finisher and Mary, a boot trade heel builder.
James’ army service enlistment documents do not survive, therefore the currently available information pertaining to his military service has been obtained from the following sources: - 1921 HMSO Publication, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914 - 1919, WW1 Service Medal and Award Rolls, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, WW1 Medal Rolls Index Cards, WW1 Pension Ledgers and Index Cards and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Registers.
Enlisted/Attested in Leicester into the Regular Army. Date not known.
Joined. At Leicester. Date not known.
Posted. To Depot Leicestershire Regt. Pte. Date not known.
Allotted the Regimental Service number 22167.
Posted. To 11th (Service) Bn. Leicestershire Regt. (Pioneers) Pte. Date not known.
First entered the theatre of war in France after the 31st December 1915.
Posted. To 1/4th (Territorial Force) Bn. Northumberland Fusiliers. Pte. Date not known.
Allotted the Regimental Service number 204170.
Transferred. To 21st (Service) Bn. Northumberland Fusiliers (Tyneside Scottish) Pte. Date not known.
Killed in action. In the Field. 9/9/17.
Body not recovered. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.
Awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In the event of his death, James nominated his mother, Eliza as his sole legatee.
The War Diary records: 9 Sep-17 – In the Field NAUROY. Sheet 1/200000. Sheet 62C 1/400000. – 12.15am. Zero hour was 12.15am. The artillery barrage opened to time and the front-line Companies “C” and “D,” moved forward under its cover. The objective was quickly taken and it appeared that the enemy’s front-line trench was not very strongly held. A few prisoners were taken. The enemy at 5.00am made a counter-attack on our right flank, but he was driven back. Heavy hostile shelling prevented carrying parties reaching the front line. The enemy again counter-attacked at 8.00am, again without result. Throughout the day VILLERET was heavily shelled, all working parties being compelled to suspend operations. At 5.00pm a bombing attack by us apparently coincided with an enemy bombing attack on our right flank. As a result, though our own attack did not develop, that of the enemy was easily repulsed and the barrage put down by our artillery on FARM TRENCH South of our block must have caused him heavy casualties. Carrying parties were able to reach front line Companies via EGG DUMP in the evening, and in addition a great deal was accomplished, all available material being used.
APPENDIX 1
21st (S) BATTALION NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS 2nd TYNESIDE SCOTTISH.
NARRATIVE OF OPERATIONS – September 7th to September 11th, 1917.
9th Sept. Reports were received one minute before zero hour from each Company that they were formed up ready to advance. At zero hour, 12.15am, our artillery opened their barrage and the Battalion consequently moved under cover of it. The pace of the barrage was correctly timed and our troops were able to keep close up to it. The enemy replied with Machine Gun fire, but it was some time before any of his artillery opened fire, by which time the assaulting troops were clear of the hostile barrage. The enemy’s wire was well cut on the left, but on the right, it still formed an obstacle. This wire and the thick mist caused some confusion on the right which was added to owing to the right Company slightly losing direction. The chief result of this confusion on the right was that the wiring parties for the right Company had been comparatively disorganised and no wire was put out on that flank.
The enemy’s trench was apparently not very strongly garrisoned, and the effect of our bombardment was seen by the number of German dead lying in the trench. There was a quantity of arms and equipment lying about, showing that a large number of the garrison must have retired just before we entered the trench. A few prisoners were taken. Immediately on arrival in the trench, wiring parties were sent out in front of the left Company and were able to put up all the wire available covered by the screen which went well out in front, about 120 yards. No wire was put out on the front of the right Company for the reasons given. The wiring parties worked well and their training during the previous few days proved absolutely invaluable.
The trench was found to be badly knocked about and each man was ordered at once to make a fire position for himself by digging out a recess in the parados. Immediately on arrival in the trench, touch was gained with the 23rd N.F. on the left, and a bombing block was established on our right flank.
3.00am. – Orders were given for an R.E. party to construct a strong point behind our right flank, and parties from 22nd N.F. were ordered to start a communication trench from MARTEN POST up to the captured position.
3.30am. – Enemy’s shelling became very intense and a very heavy barrage was put down along the line running through MARTEN POST – VILLERET POST No.4 – THE EGG. This prevented carrying parties from getting up to the front line, and also the construction of the strong point. The communication trench from MARTEN POST was commenced, but the hostile barrage stopped all work in this area.
5.00am. – At about 5.00am the enemy made a counter-attack on our right flank, which was driven back, but bombing continued on this flank until about 12.00 noon.
6.00am. - The Companies having re-organised, I withdrew “A” and “B” Companies from the front line to Battalion Reserve; “B” Company finding garrisons for VILLERET POSTS No. 2, 3 and 4.
8.00am. – The enemy made a counter-attack against our right flank, which was easily repulsed.
9.15am. – Considerable trouble was caused on our right flank by snipers and a light trench mortar, but effective retaliations were obtained by our Lewis Guns and Stokes Mortars.
Very heavy shelling on the whole area behind our front line took place throughout the day, special attention being paid to VILLERET. An enemy’s working party opposite our right was dispersed by fire from our Stokes Mortars.
4.00pm. – Artillery observation officers noticed considerable movement in the enemy’s trenches, and our artillery opened on the S.O.S. line. No attack developed.
4.50pm. – As previously arranged our artillery, Stokes Mortars, and rifle grenadiers opened a barrage on FARM TRENCH, South of our block, in order to prepare the way for a bombing attack.
At the same moment, the enemy also opened a barrage on our front line and started to bomb down against our right flank. It appears that the enemy had arranged a counter-attack at the same time and place as our own bombing attack. This prevented our attack from developing, but in consequence of our preparation the enemy’s attack was easily repulsed and broken up and he must have suffered very heavy casualties.
7.30pm. – Carrying parties for rations and stores were detailed from the two Companies in Battalion Reserve, and carried from “EGG” Dump up to the front-line Companies.
8.00pm. – Wiring parties were sent out from the front-line and a complete belt of wire, except for gap in front of the right Company, was finished, protecting our front and flanks. All available wire was used. A short length of trench was constructed just behind our block on the right flank running West from the front-line, in order to further protect our right flank.
[recognitum XXVIII-II-MMXXIV]