Soldier profiles

Name : BAKER, STEPHEN ROBERT
Service Number : QX16255
Date of Birth : 31/07/1912
Place of Birth : GLEN INNES, NSW
Known as :
Occupation on Enlistment : LABOURER
Date of Enlistment : 09/07/1940
Locality on Enlistment : CHINCHILLA, QLD
Place of Enlistment : TOOWOOMBA, QLD
Next of Kin : BAKER, CHARLES
Rank (at time of discharge / death) : PRIVATE
Service : ARMY
Final Posting : 2/2 PIONEER BATTALION
Position / Platoon / Company (as 2/2 Pioneer) (date / details) :
Unit Transfers / Promotions (date / details) :
Theatres of War : SYRIA, JAVA
Actions :
Wounded (date / details) :
Discharged : 28/11/1945
Date Died : 19/06/1978
Age at Death : 65
Community Roll of Honour : N/A
Buried Location / Memorial (P.O.W., D.O.W., K.I.A.) : N/A
K.I.A. (date / details) : N/A
D.O.W. (date / details) : N/A
M.I.A. (date / details) : N/A
P.O.W. (location/s) : JAVA
Died P.O.W. (date / details) : NO
P.O.W. Camps (details) : JAVA, NIIHAMA (JAPAN)
Recovered P.O.W. (location/s) : JAPAN
Honours and Gallantry : None for display
Applicable Australian War Memorial circulars : Australian War Memorial B-JAVA-0005 Missing & POW Circular
References found (entries & photos) : National Archives of Australia (Barcode 4491433 [NOT EXAMINED], Barcode 478836 [OPEN]), WW2 Nominal Roll, Australian War Memorial

Background : 2 negative photos at NAOA. Son of Charles Baker, Chinchilla, Queensland. Brother of Mrs. A. Rivett, Pialba, Queensland. Arrived in Japan September 1944 aboard Bioki Maru. Passed away in Queensland.

Service & personal summary At enlistment : single. No previous military experience. At discharge : height 5 feet 3 inches, brown eyes, medium complexion, brown hair. Marital status : single. Marks / scars : 2 x right shin (old axe scars). Full time war service : A.I.F. 09/07/1940 to 28/11/1945 which included 1969 days active service (47 days within Australia & 1503 days overseas). Operational service : Middle East & Java areas (embarked from Australia 01/09/1941, disembarked in Australia 12/10/1945). War badge no. A193501. Discharge certificate no. 235579.

Service record
11/07/1940 Marched in ex Reception Depot, Queensland.
29/07/1940 Admitted Camp Dressing Station XXXXX.
02/08/1940 Discharged Camp Dressing Station and sick leave.
14/08/1940 Sick to Camp Dressing Station XXXXX.
17/08/1940 Returned from Camp Dressing Station.
01/11/1940 Marched into Machine Gun Training Company.
13/03/1941 Marched in ex Machine Gun Company.
07/07/1941 Pre embarkation leave 07/07/1941 to 15/07/1941.
25/08/1941 Marched out to Eastern Command.
27/08/1941 Marched in ex Northern Command.
01/09/1941 Embarked Sydney, New South Wales on H.M.T. H.H.
25/09/1941 Disembarked Middle East.
27/01/1942 Marched out to 2/2 Australian Pioneer Battalion.
27/01/1942 Taken on strength from Machine Gun Training Battalion.
31/01/1942 Embarked Suez, Middle East on S.S. Orcades.
18/02/1942 Disembarked Batavia, Java.
07/03/1942 Reported missing in action, Java.
30/04/1942 Reported missing in action, Java and transferred to X list.
28/07/1943 Previously reported missing in action believed prisoner of war now reported prisoner of war interned Java camp.
15/08/1945 Granted proficiency pay.
12/09/1945 Recovered from the Japanese at Niihama, Japan.
26/09/1945 Marched in and taken on prisoner of war holding strength Manila, Philippines.
08/10/1945 Emplaned Manila, Philippines for Australia.
12/10/1945 Deplaned Brisbane, Queensland and taken on holding strength of Queensland General Details Depot.
19/11/1945 Evacuated to 102 Australian General Hospital with No Appreciable Disease (N.A.D.).
24/11/1945 Discharged 102 Australian General Hospital to Leave and Transit Depot Queensland Lines of Communication area.
28/11/1945 Discharged Redbank, Queensland.