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395:, Baker withdrew the battalion behind the lines for a brief period of recuperation. Returning to the front lines on 18 July, the battalion manned defensive positions in anticipation of a German attack. In August, it was tasked with carrying out a raid for prisoners and Baker took personal responsibility for reconnoitering the route and objective for the raid, which proved to be a success. It was the first offensive operation conducted by a unit of the
80:
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352:, with the collection of stragglers, was captured by German paratroopers. He managed to escape and, falling in with a truckload of Greeks, returned to Puttick's headquarters. He was once more ordered to collect stragglers (this time with infantry support) and direct them to the Porto Rafti beaches in preparation for embarkation for Crete.
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had found rehabilitation policies at the time discriminated against them. Baker advocated and worked for equal treatment for Pākehā (people of
European descent) and Māori soldiers returning from the Second World War, setting up a dedicated committee for Māori. Despite the department being amalgamated
441:
In
November 1943, after recovering from his war wounds, Baker was appointed head of the newly formed Rehabilitation Department. The department was charged with establishing ex-servicemen and women into civilian life by providing them with finance, training and housing. Māori soldiers returning to New
428:
for the operation, Baker was unhappy with the lack of detail in the planning of the operation. On arriving at the starting line for his unit, he found
Australian units in the wrong positions and convinced their commanding brigadier to move them. Within minutes of the commencement of the attack, he
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An attack on the
Munassib Depression followed in late August. While the attack was successfully carried out and the objective seized, some elements of the battalion carried on the attack deeper into enemy lines. At one stage, it was feared that these elements would be cut off but Baker was able to
324:
in preparation for the battalion's impending move to Greece, reinforcements from New
Zealand arrived to fill the ranks, depleted by illness. Baker was placed in command of the excess troops, which had been formed into a reinforcement company. When the battalion arrived in Greece on 27 March 1941,
276:. When he moved to Wellington for work in 1933, he became a reserve officer due to the absence of mounted rifle units in Wellington. Having maintained an interest in the military and concerned by the increasing likelihood of war, in May 1939 he requested to be placed on the active list.
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in an attack to recapture a bridge held by the
Germans, but was repulsed. He was later appointed commander of A Company, and was wounded in defending a German counterattack. He led a party of walking wounded to an embarkation point from where they were evacuated to Egypt on 31 May.
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and his wounds were such that he was repatriated back to New
Zealand. He later worked in New Zealand's public service, leading the Rehabilitation Department which assisted servicemen returning from the war into civilian life, by providing them with finance, training and housing.
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was wounded in the face. His wounds, to his mouth and tongue, were serious and he was repatriated to New
Zealand where he would spend nearly a year in extensive rehabilitation. His exploits as commander of the 28th Battalion were recognised with an award of the
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in 1954, he continued in his rehabilitation role. He was also a Public
Services Commissioner from September 1954 until his death in 1958 from a heart attack. He is buried in the servicemen's section of Wellington's Karori Cemetery.
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in 1933, working for the Audit Office and in the same year, married Edna Mavis Carrie. The couple would go on to have two children. By 1935, he was working for the
Mortgage Corporation of New Zealand.
424:. This attack, to be launched on 2 November, was designed to breach the German lines and establish a corridor through which British armour could break out from Alamein. His battalion subordinate to the
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descent (via his mother), he attended local schools in the area. Entering the public service after completion of his education, he worked for the Public Works Department based in
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along with the rest of the 2nd New Zealand Division. However, in May 1942, he rejoined the 28th Battalion as its second in command, having been promoted to
417:. Initially used to mop up behind the two brigades bearing the brunt of the New Zealand attack, it was decided that the battalion would be used for
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had eased and the battalion was finally shipped to Egypt to join up with the rest of the division. Baker in the meantime, had been promoted to
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withdraw his men to their proper positions. Once again, at the conclusion of the operation, the exploits of Baker's command were recognised.
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as it attacked into Egypt. The battalion's commanding officer was killed during an artillery barrage on 12 July, elevating Baker to command.
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airfield when the Germans launched their attack. Withdrawing from Maleme, Baker led a mixed force of men including infantry from
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On Crete, Baker was assigned to the battalion's D Company. He participated in the various defensive actions around
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in May 1940 but were diverted for defensive duties in England. By early 1941, the threat of invasion by the
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assumed command, and he sent a message of congratulations on the successful execution of the raid.
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It was not until November 1939 that a role was found for Baker, as intelligence officer of the
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but were forced to withdraw from its positions on 17 April. Baker, having been tasked by
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Baker, a captain at the time, sitting (3rd left) with other members of the 28th Battalion
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After recuperating from his wounds, Baker was appointed to command of a company in
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in 1928. He became an accountant, qualifying in late 1931. He transferred to
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Baker's company was responsible for the battalion's advance base outside of
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from 13 July to 2 November 1942. He was injured at the commencement of the
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210:(19 June 1908 – 1 June 1958) was a New Zealand soldier who served in the
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384:. The following month, the battalion was engaged in fighting with the
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685:. Auckland, New Zealand: Auckland University Press. pp. 29–30.
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Butterworth, Graham (2000). "Baker, Frederick 1908–1958". In
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Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939–45
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Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939–45
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and placed in command of the battalion's headquarters company.
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of New Zealand, on 19 June 1908 to a bushman and his wife. Of
748:. Wellington, New Zealand: Historical Publications Branch.
662:. Wellington, New Zealand: Historical Publications Branch.
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New Zealand Companions of the Distinguished Service Order
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The Oxford Companion to New Zealand Military History
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in his late teens and served with the Northland and
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768:. Auckland, New Zealand: Oxford University Press.
723:. Christchurch, New Zealand: Privately published.
702:Te Mura O Te Ahi: The Story of the Maori Battalion
682:The Dictionary of New Zealand Biography: Volume 5
721:New Zealand and The Distinguished Service Order
819:New Zealand military personnel of World War II
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719:Haigh, J. Bryant; Polaschek, A. J. (1993).
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320:As the battalion trained at its base in
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704:. Auckland, New Zealand: Reed Books.
32:Portrait of Fred Baker, circa 1941–42
7:
587:Haigh & Polaschek, 1993, p. 31
521:McClymont, 1959, pp. 436–437
512:McClymont, 1959, pp. 410–411
476:Butterworth, 2000, pp. 29–30
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814:New Zealand Māori public servants
608:"Warrior's Walk, Karori Cemetery"
578:Gardiner, 1992, pp. 103–104
413:The battalion then fought in the
292:to join the first echelon of the
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569:Gardiner, 1992, pp. 98–101
231:Frederick Baker was born in the
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539:Gardiner, 1992, pp. 68–76
530:Gardiner, 1992, pp. 64–68
503:Gardiner, 1992, pp. 47–48
449:Department of Internal Affairs
433:, which was gazetted in 1944.
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442:Zealand after service in the
426:British 151 Infantry Brigade
431:Distinguished Service Order
415:Second Battle of El Alamein
220:Second Battle of El Alamein
184:Distinguished Service Order
167:Second Battle of El Alamein
103:New Zealand Military Forces
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839:Burials at Karori Cemetery
824:New Zealand Māori soldiers
809:New Zealand Army officers
738:McClymont, W. G. (1959).
613:. Wellington City Council
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834:People from the Hokianga
652:Baker, J. V. T. (1965).
337:against elements of the
294:2nd New Zealand Division
700:Gardiner, Wira (1992).
348:, the commander of the
485:Gardiner, 1992, p. 105
391:Promoted to temporary
378:North African Campaign
376:, then engaged in the
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286:28th (Māori) Battalion
270:Waikato Mounted Rifles
235:, in the north of the
216:28th (Māori) Battalion
162:North African campaign
131:28th (Māori) Battalion
557:Gardiner, 1992, p. 96
548:McGibbon, 2000, p. 51
494:Gardiner, 1992, p. 37
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264:Baker had joined the
109:Years of service
51:Kohukohu, New Zealand
350:4th Infantry Brigade
331:5th Infantry Brigade
596:Baker, 1965, p. 510
339:9th Panzer Division
404:Bernard Montgomery
401:Lieutenant General
393:lieutenant colonel
329:. Attached to the
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266:Territorial Forces
202:Lieutenant Colonel
121:Lieutenant Colonel
247:before moving to
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155:Battle of Crete
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62:(1958-06-01)
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799:1958 deaths
794:1908 births
655:War Economy
421:Supercharge
397:Eighth Army
290:Middle East
86:New Zealand
60:1 June 1958
788:Categories
629:References
437:Later life
419:Operation
274:lieutenant
253:Wellington
227:Early life
193:Accountant
74:Allegiance
67:Wellington
44:1908-06-19
741:To Greece
447:into the
343:Brigadier
245:Whangārei
112:1926–1943
249:Hamilton
233:Hokianga
127:Commands
92:Service/
754:4373298
679:(ed.).
668:6307951
617:13 July
302:captain
298:Germans
241:Ngāpuhi
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357:Maleme
327:Athens
322:Helwan
180:Awards
133:(1942)
94:branch
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611:(PDF)
456:Notes
382:major
368:Egypt
272:as a
770:ISBN
750:OCLC
725:ISBN
706:ISBN
687:ISBN
664:OCLC
619:2016
117:Rank
57:Died
38:Born
208:DSO
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