Have You a Tiger In Your Family?

Rank : Colonel

Army Number : 6156 and 136060

Unit : 8th Bn

Biography :

Educated at Clifton Cathedral School and St Nicholas School Bristol, as Colin Willoughby Anthony Crudge he enlisted at Taunton in The Devonshire Regiment on 12.9.1895 and joined its 2nd Bn on 16.12.1895, being promoted LCpl on 1.5.1896. He used the surname Baker from about that time. He transferred to The Grenadier Guards in Guernsey on 24.11.1896. In 1st Bn Grenadier Guards as a LCpl he took part in the Battle of Omdurman in The Sudan in September 1898. He was promoted Cpl on 26.9.1899, Orderly Room Sgt that year, Colour Sergeant on 21.10.1902, and Quartermaster Sergeant on 21.10.1905. He was the best shot in 1st Bn Grenadier Guards and wore the badge of the 'golden gun', and he was also awarded the Long Service & Good Conduct medal. He was promoted Warrant Officer Class II on 29.1.1915. He was commissioned into The Leicestershire Regiment on 13.7.1915. He was immediately appointed Adjutant of 8th Bn, arriving with the Bn in France on 29.7.1915. He was appointed Staff Captain of HQ 110th (Leicestershire) Brigade on 30.12.1915, DAQMG of HQ 21st Division on 19.9.1917, and acting AA&QMG in Nov 1918. He was appointed DAQMG HQ 6th (Midland) Division in Germany on 22.3.1919, and Staff Captain at the War Office on 12.4.1919. Promoted Lieutenant 13.7.1917, Temporary Captain in May 1916, Temporary Major in Aug 1917, and Major on 31.12.1920. Awarded the M.C. (L.G. 1.1.1917), and the D.S.O. (L.G. 3.6.1919), and was Mentioned in Despatches three times. His D.S.O. was presented at Buckingham Palace on 22.4.1920. He formally changed his surname from Crudge to Baker on 18.8.1922 (L.G. 22.8.1922). He retired on 1.1.1921 with the rank of Major, and for the next 19 years he was employed as a Retired Officer at the War Office, and was employed in statistical work. Temporary Major 31.12.1930. In the Second World War he rejoined the Army and served in the Adjutant General's Department in the War Office, being appointed DAAG (AG Statistics) on 1.1.1940, AAG on 29.1.1941, and Colonel (AG Statistics) on 19.5.1944. He was promoted Acting Lt Col on 19.2.1941, Temporary Lt Col on 29.4.1941, and War Substantive Colonel on 19.11.1944. For his work associated with the Middle East July-October 1941 he was awarded the O.B.E. (L.G. 11.6.1942). He was released from Military Service on 27.10.1945. He died in 1954, aged 75 years.
His medals are in the Regimental collection held by the Leicester Art & Museums Service. In addition to the medals shown on this webpage, are the Queen's Sudan Medal (1896-98) and Khedive's Sudan Medal (1896-1908) (with clasp Khartoum), awarded to him for his Sudan service in 1898.

Date of Birth : 27.2.1879

Place of Birth : Kensington, London

Date of Death : 28.3.1954

Place of Death : Orpington, Kent

Civil Occupation : gardener

Period of Service : 1895-1921; 1940-45

Conflicts : The Sudan, WW1, WW2

Places Served : England, Guernsey, The Sudan, Gibraltar, France and Flanders, Germany