Back BAKER Ernest Reginald
d. 16 Jun 1944 CWGC
Service Number 40660
P/O 7th May 1938. (Gazette Issue 34513 published on the 24 May 1938. Page 15 of 76)
F/O 17th Aug. 1940. (Gazette Issue 34949 published on the 20 September 1940. Page 10 of 58)
F/Lt 17th Aug. 1941. (Gazette Issue 35279 published on the 19 September 1941. Page 9 of 82)
T/S/Ldr 1st July 1943: (Gazette Issue 36131 published on the 10 August 1943. Page 5 of 10)
S/Ldr 2nd Apr. 1944. (Gazette Issue 36554 published on the 6 June 1944. Page 2 of 8)
W/Cdr Not found
DFC 22nd November, 1940. Gazette Issue 34998 published on the 22 November 1940. Page 15 of 58)
DFC * 1st October, 1943. (Gazette Issue 36192 published on the 28 September 1943. Page 3 of 10)
DSO 15th June, 1944. (Gazette Issue 36805 published on the 17 November 1944. Page 1 of 2)
Date A/C Crew Duty Up Down Details of Sortie or Flight
13-Jul-43 P.7113 S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC Shipping Recco 16:00 17:15 The area searched comprised the Channel Island area and as far as the Ile Brehat.
18-Jul-43 P.7113 S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC Shipping Recco 18:57 20:15 Armed escorted shipping recco of Channel Islands area
20-Jul-43 P.7113 S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC Shipping Recco 10:55 12:10 Armed escorted shipping recco of Channel Islands area
23-Jul-43 P.6986 S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC Shipping Recco 12:30 13:16 This armed escorted shipping recco was abandoned near the Casquets in thick sea haze
03-Aug-43 P.7055 S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC Shipping Recco 11:25 12:35 Channel Islands shipping lanes were thoroughly searched from a height of 20-100 feet.
03-Aug-43 P.7055 S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC 10 Group Circus 19:57 21:15 These 8 Whirlibombers divebombed Brest Guipavas aerodrome
04-Aug-43 P.7055 S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC Armed Shipping Recco 11:38 13:05 Long shipping recco W. of Ushant and as far as Cap Chevre, 10 miles south of Brest. This time, however, no ships were found
11-Aug-43 P.7113 S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC 10 Group Roadstead 74 14:34 16:05 7 E. Boats reported in the estuary of Aber Vrach.  Battle of Aber Vrach
14-Aug-43 P.7113 S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC Night Recco 22:55 00:05 S/Ldr BAKER found an E. Boat running at high speed from Jersey towards St Peter Port. Also shot down He.111
15-Aug-43 P.7111 S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC 10 Group Circus 15:00 16:20 This operation to dive-bomb Guipavas aerodrome. S/Ldr Baker returned with exactor trouble. F/Lt McClure found 10/10 cloud and operation abandoned
17-Aug-43 P.7113 S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC 10 Group Ramrod 08:50 10:00 It was intended to divebomb Brest Guipavas. Aborted in 10/10 cloud
18-Aug-43 P.7113 S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC Night Recco 00:15 02:50 S/Ldr Baker DFC found armed trawler off Cotentin.
08-Sep-43 P.7096 S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC Operation Starkey 17:07 17:42 Divebombing of Naval and Flak heavy guns at Hardelot
09-Sep-43 P.7096 S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC Operation Starkey 08:00 09:05 Divebombing of Naval and Flak heavy guns at Hardelot
16-Sep-43 P. S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC Night Armed Ship Recco 22:10 23:20 These pilots took off in pairs to recco the Cap de la Hague – Isigny and Channel Islands shipping lanes.
18-Sep-43 P.7113 S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC Night Ranger Operation 01:31 03:24 Chatanooga Choo-Choo. Briefed to bomb Ponthou Viaduct. Think they hit cuttings N and S
18-Sep-43 P.7113 S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC Night Shipping Recco 23:59 00:50 Lightning vied with flak in 10/10 cloud over Cap-de-la-Hague.
04-Oct-43 P.7102 S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC Armed Recco 11:40 12:12 Abortive armed recco for two Hun destroyers reported lurking in Lenardrieux Estuary
07-Oct-43 P.7012 S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC Recco 11:40 12:50 Escorted by Ibsley Wing, uneventful, recco Channel Island area
07-Oct-43 P.7102 S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC Night Recco     Found thick haze to 1000 feet N. of CHERBOURG and abandoned recces.
08-Oct-43 P.7102 S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC Night Recco 19:00 20:25 S/Ldr BAKER bombed an E. Boat Cat 4 off VARRIVILLE but was prevented by S/Ls from investigating further.
08-Oct-43 P.7102 S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC Night Shipping Recco 22:20 23:35 S/Ldr Baker found P/O Heaton's ship off Cap de la Hague and bombed it from mast height without seeing more than indistinct explosions. Remaining aircraft RTB.
14-Oct-43 P.7102 S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC Night Recco 19:45 21:27 Night searches (Without bombs) for the Munsterland. Warmwell – Sept Iles – Iles de Batz – Predannack.
18-Oct-43 P.7102 S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC 263 Special Night Ops - Chuffa Prang 02:22 03:30 Designed to disorganise railway communications in and near Cherbourg Peninsula and thereafter to take advantage of the tactical situation. It was a great success.
23-Oct-43 P.7102 S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC Ship Recco 08:00 09:00 The Munsterland was not found between Casquets and Barfleur. It is though that this will be found to be the last time in the history of the world in which twelve Whirlwinds were airborne together.
23-Oct-43 P.7102 S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC 10 Group Roadstead 77 15:00 16:10 Attack on Munsterland in Cherbourg Harbour
28-Oct-43 P.7102 S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC Ramrod Operation 14:30 15:25 These eight a/c dive-bombed the Munsterland in No 5 dry dock Cherbourg
30-Oct-43 P.7102 S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC Ramrod 99 15:00 16:00 The seven Whirlwinds which were serviceable took off to divebomb the Munsterland
05-Nov-43 P.7102 S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC Ramrod 100 15:15 15:45 7 Whirlibombers took off to dive bomb M/V Munsterland lying in No 5 dry dock Cherbourg. They met 10/10 cloud and RTB
07-Nov-43 P.7037 S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC Air Sea Reescue Search 14:34 15:56 7 Whirlwinds went on A/S/R Search for F/O Coombe of 257 Squadron.
09-Nov-43 P.7037 S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC Night Shipping Recco     Both sorties abandoned owing to 10/10 cloud at 2,000 feet North of Cap de la Hague and lowering to the South.
10-Nov-43 P.7102 S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC Night shipping strike 10:32 00:07 S/Ldr Baker attacked small trawler 50-75 tons SSE of Hurn
24-Nov-43 P.7102 S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC Armed shipping recco 14:59 16:06 Turned back owing to bad weather S.W. of Plienmount Point.
25-Nov-43 P.7102 S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC Armed shipping recco 08:30 09:58 Recco 10 miles N of St Malo. Nothing seen.
25-Nov-43 P.7102 S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC Ramrod 106 pt 1 12:00 12:32 10/10 Cloud with tops 6-7,000 over Cherbourg, so sorties turned back
25-Nov-43 P.7102 S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC Ramrod 106 pt 2 15:57 16:45 8 Whirlibombers dive-bombed SS Munsterland again
26-Nov-43 P.7040 S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC Ramrod 108 11:57 12:45 Whirlibombers dive-bombed SS Munsterland again
26-Nov-43 P.6983 S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC Ramrod 109 15:40 16:50 Attack on a secret target SW of Cherbourg.
29-Nov-43 P.7040 S/Ldr E.R. Baker DFC “Hanwich” Operation 10:04 10:54 This operation was planned to intercept mine-sweepers or mine-destroying JU52's thought likely to be operating off Cherbourg.