Baker, William Benjamin

Title

Biff Baker

W B Baker

Description

45 items. The collection concerns William Benjamin "Biff" Baker DFC (Royal Air Force) and contains his log book, documents art work and and photographs. He flew operations as an air gunner with 115 and 626 Squadrons.

The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Pamela Baker and catalogued by Nigel Huckins and Peter Adams.

Date

2016-11-28

Publisher

IBCC Digital Archive

Rights

This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.

Identifier

Baker, WB

Collection Items

Drawing - aircrew climbing on wing to put out fire

Drawing from front of a Wellington with aircrew out on starboard wing trying to put out fire in engine. Me 109 going the other way above,

Sergeant rank

Cloth sergeant stripes

Drawing - air gunner brevet

Three hand drawn air gunner brevet

"J" Johnnie Lancaster

Top - Front quarter view of the front of a Lancaster with gremlin nose art and airman leaning out of cockpit.
Bottom - Notes with list of operations.

Airman

An airman wearing flying suit and boots standing in a field. On the reverse 'All my love to [....], ever yours, Bill xxxxx'.

William Baker

Head and shoulders portrait of an airman wearing tunic with sergeant rank and air gunner brevet.

William Baker - RAF service and release book

Gives some personal details, medical report,

Newspaper cutting - Lancaster riddled won home

Relates story of Lancaster on operation to Berlin being hit by night fighter fire which wounded crew and damaged aircraft. Returning home with wounded crew and belly landed.

First tour crew

Note listing 1st tour crew. 'Pat Finnerty DFM, Nav C Boyes, F/E Cowling, W/O T Bellamy, B/A H Jones, M/U T J Page DFM, RG WBB, "J" was KO-J DS626 a Lancaster II with Hercules engines'.

Air gunners Association

Sets out details of association, history and subscriptions.

Combat report

Relates events during operation to Essen on 12/13 March 1943. Enemy fighter attacked and was engaged and hit by rear gunner. Claimed as damaged. After releasing bombs in heavy anti-aircraft fire and searchlights rear gunner engaged Me 109. Gunner…

William Baker recommendation for award of Distinguished Flying Cross

Relates actions on operation to Berlin on 30/31 January 1944. Baker was wounded during night fighter attack. Finding wireless operator dead, the rear gunner unconscious and navigator wounded, he then manned the rear turret despite no communications…

Combat report

Combat report by Flying Officer V S Breckenridge. Relates first attack by fighter killed wireless operator and wounded rear and mid-upper gunners as well as damaging the aircraft. Second fighter attack caused more damage and the pilot and navigator…

William Baker commissioning scroll

Appointing William Benjamin Baker DFC a pilot officer in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.

Legend

Allegorical story telling story of an operation in terms of knights of medieval Kingdom of Avalon setting out and riding to battle in the land of the Huns and city of Burlyne. Tells story of operation including wounding of crew and return flight.…

Crew photograph and list of operations

First page - photograph of seven airmen wearing battledress with brevet standing in front of a Lancaster. Captioned 'Lancaster - 138 Squadron, Alf Warren (3rd from the left) mid upper gunner'. Then follows a list of thirty-one operations between 2…

W B Baker’s observers and air gunners flying log book

Observers and air gunners flying log book for W B Baker, air gunner, covering the period from 11 November 1942 to 9 June 1944. Detailing his flying training and operations flown. He was stationed at RAF Stormy Down and RAF Wickenby. Aircraft flown in…

Squadron photograph

A large group of airmen sitting and standing in three rows in front of a Lancaster and also standing on top of wings. One man sits on each engine and two on top of cockpit.

Squadron photograph

A large group of aircrew sitting and standing in three rows in front of a Lancaster.

Squadron photograph airmen and aircraft

In the foreground a "V" formation of a very large group of aircrew wearing Mae Wests. Further back a large number of Lancasters parked close together with ground crews in line in front those at the front.

This item was sent to the IBCC Digital…

Seven aircrew

Seven airmen wearing a variety of flying kit standing in line in front of the rear fuselage of a Lancaster (registration ME584 squadron letter "Y"). Captioned 'Jimmie Hall wireless op Scot (marked with cross), Jack Meek observer Canada, Bill…

Lancaster KO-J and operation against Skoda Works

Top - air-to-air photograph of a Lancaster letter 'KO-J' DS626 over open countryside. The pilot was Sergeant G P Finnerty. Captioned 'Our aircraft homeward bound, after a night out. (of a different kind) 115 Squadron, March 1943'.
Bottom right -…

Poems

Top left - poem - cheers for the men on the ground by E Sykes 1942. Six verse poem about forgotten ground crew compared to those who fly. Top right - a reply to Mr Sykes ode (newsletter No 26) by 'Bif' Baker (No 18). Letter putting Mr Sykes to rights…

Group of veterans

A large group of men wearing blazers standing in a car park. In front one man is being presented with a decoration. One man on left holding up a standard.

Aircraft

Top - painting of a Lancaster being bombed up. Captioned 'Winter of 43 somewhere in England. by David Shepherd'.
Bottom - photograph - view from above of a Lancaster with Spitfire and Hurricane on either wing over sea. Captioned 'Memorial in Flight,…

View all 45 items

Collection Tree