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Baker, Brian Edmund

Date of birth:
August 31st, 1896 (Hertford/England, Great Britain)
Date of death:
October 8th, 1979
Nationality:
British (1801-present, Kingdom)

Biography

Flying ace during the First World War: 12 air vicories:

Military career:
9 January 1914: Temporary 2nd Lt.
?: Temporary Lieutenant
1 January 1917: Temporary Captain
1 April 1918: Captain
1 July 1918: Temporary Major
1 August 1919: Flight Lieutenant
1 July 1925: Squadron Leader
1 January 1933: Wing Commander
1 July 1937: Group Captain
1 July 1940: Temporary Air Commodore
12 July 1942: Acting Air Vice Marshal
1 December 1942: Temporary Air Vice Marshal
1 June 1943: Air Commodore
1 December 1944: Air Vice Marshal
1 July 1947: Air Marshal

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Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Rank:
Temporary Captain
Unit:
No. 48 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps
Awarded on:
March 25th, 1917
"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He led his patrol with great skill against a hostile formation, which he attacked, accounting for five enemy machines out of six. Later, he drove a hostile machine down in flames, and attacked and destroyed another one by diving 7,000 feet on to it and firing at such close range as to nearly collide with it. His gallantry has been at all times of great value to his squadron."
Military Cross (MC)
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Rank:
Temporary Captain
Unit:
No. 48 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps
Awarded on:
April 18th, 1918
Croix de Guerre (1914-1918)
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Rank:
Temporary Captain
Unit:
No. 48 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps
Awarded on:
March 4th, 1918
"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. Whilst on patrol he engaged nine Albatross scouts, five of these being driven down, two of which he accounted for. On another occasion, whilst leading his flight on in offensive patrol, he dived alone on a formation of six enemy scouts, driving one down out of control. During the course of his patrol work he has brought down ten enemy machines, and his work on all occasions has been magnificent. He is a dashing patrol leader, and inspires all with the greatest keenness."
Distinguished Service Order (DSO)
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Unit:
No. 48 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps
Awarded on:
May 20th, 1918
Mentioned in Dispatches
Rank:
Captain
Unit:
No. 141 Squadron, Royal Air Force
Awarded on:
January 1st, 1919
Air Force Cross (AFC)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Air Commodore
Unit:
No. 16 Group, Royal Air Force
Awarded on:
June 2nd, 1943

HM Birthday Honours
Companion of The Most Honourable Order of the Bath (CB)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Air Commodore
Unit:
No. 19 (Reconnaissance) Group, Royal Air Force
Awarded on:
August 15th, 1944
Awarded for:
Operation Overlord
"In recognition of distinguished services in connection with the operations in Normandy."
Knights/Dames Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (K/DBE)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Air Vice-Marshal
Awarded on:
June 12th, 1945
Order Odrodzenia Polski Komandorski z Gwiazda
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Air Vice-Marshal
Awarded on:
March 15th, 1946
"In recognition of valuable services rendered in connection with the war."
Rad Bileho lva II Class
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Air Vice-Marshal
Awarded on:
July 26th, 1946
"In recognition of valuable services rendered in connection with the war."
Ceskoslovenský válecný kríž 1939
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Air Marshal
Awarded on:
September 13th, 1949
"In recognition of valuable services rendered in connection with the war."
Legion of Merit - Commander (LoM - C)

Sources

Photo