Enlistment Address

Tooraweenah NSW

Service Number

Depot

Unit

D Company Bathurst

Fate

Discharged Medically unfit May 13, 1916

Information

Walter James Baker was a 39 year old labourer of Tooraweenah when he enlisted on 12 January, 1916 and marched to Bathurst with the Tooraweenah Recruitment March. He passed the medical examination as fit. He was described as5’7” tall, 150 lbs (72kgs), he had a 34-36” chest expansion, dark complexion, brown eyes, dark hair and no distinctive marks noted. He was Church of England and his brother T H Baker of Inverell was his next of kin. Walter was the son of Francis and Mary Baker.

On 13 May, 1916 at Bathurst, he was found by the medical board to be medically unfit and discharged.

He had attempted to enlist in Dubbo on 15 October, 1915 when the Coo-ees passed through, but he was rejected because of his hearing. Walter’s third attempt to enlist was on 22 December, 1917 at Darlinghurst. He was 42 years old and stated his occupation as a horse-breaker. This attempt to enlist in Sydney was partly successful when one doctor passed him as fit and another rejected him because of a bubonocele, ie an inguinal hernia. His name does not appear on the Embarkation Roll.

Walter is on the Australian War Memorial Aboriginal list.