Private Philip Hirzel Baker
1st Battalion, Royal Guernsey Light Infantry

Reinforcement no.3 Taken Prisoner of Ware and held at Soltau 13/4/18. Repatriated to England 10/01/19.

 

Philip Baker was born at La Rade, Sark in 1888, the 12th of 14 children – actually Peter Hirzel Baker after two brother who did not survive infancy.

Father Thomas Baker of Clos a Jaon, Mother Annie Nancy Carré of La Ville.

 

Possibly, on his father's death, the widow and small children moved to Guernsey for work.

1901 census shows them in Vale, Guernsey with Philip as an Apprentice Gardener.

1911 census gives St Sampson's, Guernsey as a Market Gardener with his mother as a charwoman and sister with her husband, also a Market Gardener.