BAKER, Wing Commander Thomas Herbert (1913-2006)

Identity Statement

Reference code(s)	: GB 0099 KCLMA Baker
Held at	: Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives, King's College London   Click here to find out how to view this collection at http://www.kingscollections.org/catalogues/lhcma ›
Full title	: BAKER, Wing Commander Thomas Herbert (1913-2006)
Date(s)	: 1942-1958
Level of description	: collection level
Extent	: 1 file or 0.01m3
Name of creator(s)	: Baker | Thomas Herbert | 1913-2006 | Wing Commander

Context

Administrative/Biographical history:

Born 1913, Deolali, Bombay; educated at Portsmouth and Lancaster Grammar Schools; joined Royal Air Force 1921, serving in England, Egypt and Palestine; joined 90 Squadron, 1939; joined 107 Squadron, Jul 1940; joined 114 Squadron, Apr 1941; crashed and severely injured during raid against Schipol aerodrome, Amsterdam, 17 Apr 1942, hospitalised, Apr-Dec 1942; sent to Stalag Luft III, Sagan, Germany (now Zagan, Poland), Dec 1942; transferred to Stalag Luft XIIID, Nuremberg, Germany, Feb 1945, and Stalag VIIB, Moosburg, Mar 1945; liberated 29 Apr 1945; joined 210 Squadron; worked at Bomber Command and Royal Air Force Staff College; group navigation officer, Air Headquarters, Malta; administrator, Leeming airfield; retired, Jan 1958; died, Mar 2006.

Content

Scope and content/abstract:

Papers of Wing Commander Thomas Baker comprising: photocopy of POW log, 1942-1945, including `The Diary of a Ranker', 1929-1945, detailing Baker's career in the RAF and movements as a POW; copy of letter of complaint at conditions in Stalag Luft III, photographs, sketches and cartoons, isometric diagram of cell; newspaper article showing his crashed plane, and farewell messages from fellow inmates; photocopy of flying log-books, Oct 1940-Nov 1941 and May 1945-Jan 1958. Also copy of obituary.

Access & Use

Language/scripts of material:
English, German

System of arrangement:

In sections as above.

Conditions governing access:

Open, subject to signature of Reader's undertaking form, and appropriate provision of two forms of identification.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Copies, subject to the condition of the original, may be supplied for research use only. Requests to publish original material should be submitted to the Trustees of the Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives, attention of the Director of Archives and Information Management.

Finding aids:

Summary guide entry on-line.

Archival Information

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

Donated to the centre by the family, March 2007.

Allied Materials

Related material:

LHCMA WARD papers include photographs and diary entries made during his time in Stalag Luft III, 1942; LHCMA NELSON, TR, papers include articles, 1948, describing the escape from Stalag Luft III, 1942-1944; LIDDELL-HART 15/4/267, press cuttings relating to Stalag Luft III, 1939-1945.

Publication note:

Description Notes

Archivist's note:
Entry compiled by Katharine Higgon.

Rules or conventions:
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal Place and Corporate Names 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions:
March 2007