“Finding Private Baker - Gary Silliker, CD
SITUATION: Lieutenant Colonel Dufour, the current commanding officer of the NSR, had been made aware that the Canadian Mint was preparing a coin to mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day Landing. It was proposed that the coin would utilize the photo of the North Shore (NB) Regiment (NSR) assaulting Juno beach in the Nan/Red sector. The photo was from the film recorded by by Sergeant Bill Grant of the Canadian Army Film Unit (CAFU) on the morning of 6 June, 1944.
MISSION: Attempt to identify the soldier in that film who turned his head enough to have his face caught by the film maker.
EXECUTION: Send out a request for information to all possible sources.
SUPPORT : Historians, both professional and amateur, who had an interest in the history of the NSR.
In early October, 2018, Dr Marc Milner of the Gregg Centre at UNB made the commanding officer of the NSR aware that the Canadian Mint had plans to strike a commemorative coin noted above. On 28 November Dr Milner contacted LCol Renaud Dufour about the identity of the soldier in the photo. Dr Milner noted that in 2004, while researching his book “D-Day to Carpiquet: The North Shore Regiment and the Liberation of Europe,” that Fred Moar, MC, who had been a lieutenant with A Company NSR during the assault, stated , "It looks like Pte Baker from my company."
The next day LCol Dufour was able to confirm that a Pte DH Baker was part of the assaulting force the morning of D-Day, but that he was not sure where Baker might be from.
In less that 24 hours Bruce Morton was able to confirm that a Pte G. H. Baker # F56627 had landed with No 2 section, 3 Platoon , A Company of the NSR on D-Day. Bruce also noted that Pte GH Baker was the only soldier of the NSR with that surname who came ashore at Juno that day. It was quickly noted that the ”F” in Baker’s service number indicated that he enlisted in Nova Scotia or eastern PEI. Based upon his service number it was probable that he was originally from NS or PEI, but it was not definitive as he might have come from anywhere in Canada and just enlisted in NS/PEI.
Marc Miner was able to confirm, via Veterans Affairs Canada, that GH Baker # F56627 died on 23 July, 2003, in North Brookfield, NS
That same day Brandon Savage, using the date of death information from Marc, decided to do a web search of obituaries for any one named Baker in NS. His efforts were rewarded. Brandon found the obituary of a George Herman Baker of Queens County NS, a war veteran, who passed away on 23 July, 2003. The obituary noted that George Baker was a veteran of the Second World War, but it did not specific any branch of service or unit.
George Herman Baker was born in North Brookfield , Queens County, NS, on 31 August, 1923. He enlisted in the army at Halifax on 5 April, 1943, and arrived in the UK on 1 September. On 11 November Private Baker was posted to the NSR. He came ashore in France as part of the initial assault wave on 6 June, 1944. George served with the NSR through France, Belgium, the Netherlands and into Germany. He returned to the UK on 22 December, 1945, and was discharged in Halifax on 6 March, 1946.
The sleuthhounds were:
Don Campbell
Renald Dufour, Bathurst, NB, CD, Commanding Officer the Norths Shore (NB) Regiment
Marc Milner, Fredericton,NB, Director of the Gregg Centre for the Study of War and Society at the University of New Brunswick.
Bruce Morton, Barrie, ON
Ray Kokkonen, ONB, CD, Trout Brook, NB, President of the Canadian Peacekeeping Veterans Association
Brandon Savage, Miramichi NB, teacher at Miramichi Valley High School
Gary Silliker, CD, Mahone Bay, NS, former member of the NSR“
“I was part of the research team that identified him....I was also fortunate enough to be able to take part in the presentation of the coin to George's daughter in Liverpool“
