Wimereux Communal Cemetery, Pas de Calais

Son of Robert P & Ann L Bakes of St Helier, Jersey

Died at the 14th Stationary Hospital in Boulogne of enteric fever, aged 26 years.

Commemorated on Halkett Place Primary School Memorial
and on memorial widow in Gouray Church

Notice of Death appears in Jersey Evening Post of Wednesday 4 August 1915

NEWS ITEM in Jersey Evening Post of Friday 13 November 1914

Interesting Letter from the Front. Trumpeter S Bakes of the 52nd Battery Royal Field Artillery writing home says "Our Battery has suffered heavily. We retired from Mons without any casualties until a stand was made at Le Cateau then we lost our Major, Captain and Lieutenant and about 36 men killed and wounded, which is a large number for a Battery, also all our guns. The fight was terrible and I shall never forget it. We got enfiladed fire but the gunners never flinched; it was impossible to do any more for we were hopelessly outnumbered. After we lost our guns we were made into mounted infantry which was rather exciting work, but we have now got new guns and are hoping to soon have our revenge, though nobody was to blame for the loss of our guns. It is terrible to see the people homeless and we all pray that it will soon be over. Must close now as paper is short."

 

 

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Record

 

Corporal Sidney Robert Wescott Bakes
111th Battery, Royal Field Artillery

1914 Star

NEWS ITEM in Jersey Evening Post of Friday 6 August 1915

Corporal S R W Bakes. The following letter is the last received by his parents from Corporal Sidney R W Bakes who died on Saturday last in a Boulogne Hospital. At the time of writing the poor lad was buoyed up by the hope of soon being back in sunny Jersey with his family circle, the disease from which he suffered had, however, sapped his constitution. The letter reads "My dearest Mother, Father and all, Just a few lines in answer to yours of last night, I was so glad to hear from you and that you are all doing well. As to myself I have enteric fever and am feeling quite done up, but there is one thing as soon as we are better we go over to England. I am longing to see you all also those dear children and I hope it will be when the country is full of fruit as at the present time I lie in bed and think of nothing else but pears. I will have a feed when I get back to good old Jersey. This is an awful sickness for me to have, you get nothing to eat as they have to starve you for a time. If you could see me now I don't know what you would think of me, but never mind please God I will soon get well again and be able to get about. I was lingering up in the firing line until at last I got so bad that they had to send me away and I found myself in here. The next happy move will be across the water, oh how I am longing to see your dear faces again and to go and sit on the sands all day. Goodnight and may God bless you all, Your loving and affectionate son, Sidney".