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Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
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414
414 Squadron Mustang I AP197 F/O, Robert Edwin Baker

Operation: Tactile photographic reconnaissance patrol

Date: 08th September 1943 (Wednesday)

Unit: No. 414 Squadron (motto: Totis viribus - 'with all our might')

Type: Mustang I

Serial: AP197

Code: RU-?

Base: RAF Ashford, Kent

Location: English Channel off Mardyck, France

Pilot: F/O. Robert Edwin Baker J/20144 (R/121598) RCAF Age 21. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 12:00 hrs. flying as No.2 with F/O. Stuart G. Chapman, the two airman were to fly a tactile photographic reconnaissance patrol over St. Omer, Armentieres, Mersin and Ypres.

They were recrossing the French coast at Mardyck, at approximately 4,000 to 5,000 feet, in flak barrage on returning to base when F/O. Baker called 'break left, on doing so. F/0. Chapman observed a Fw.190 on his tail, and noticed a white stream from the radiator of F/0. Baker's aircraft.
He instructed him to fly straight ahead and try to cross the Channel and when last seen he was diving very slightly at an estimated air speed of 300 m.p.h. in a N.W. direction.

F/O. Chaprnan turned to port and engaged enemy aircraft, during which engagement he heard F/0. Baker call 'May Day', and then heard no further from him.
It is probably shot down by the Luftwaffe ace, Uffz. Gerhard Wiegand of 8/JG-26 (shown below)

F/O. Chaprnan returned to base landing safely at 13:50 hrs.
The body was found by German soldiers at Bergen aan Zee on the 08th October 1943 and reported to the International Red Cross.

Burial details:

F/O. Robert Edwin Baker. Bergen General Cemetery. Plot 2. Row B. Grave 2. Born on the 12th February 1922 in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. Worked as a farmer prior to service. Enlistedon on the 23rd October 1942. Son of Alfred Allen Baker (died 1966, age 75) and Jeanie Jeffrey Baker (née Muirhead - died 1993, age 95), Married on the 14th March 1919. Of Sedgewick, Alberta, Canada. Brother of James Alexander, William Allen and John Muirhead. Epitaph: 'Their Bodies Are Buried In Peace; But Their Name Liveth For Evermore'.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to the National Archives. Kew, Paradie RCAF Archives, Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Government of Canada WW2 Service records.

Other sources as quoted below:

KTY 30-07-2025

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Acknowledgements
Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and Captain François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Andrew Mielnik: Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Polish graves: https://niebieskaeskadra.pl/, PoW Museum Żagań, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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