Sandgate service honours local Anzac

A young Sandgate man who was among the first Anzacs to land at Gallipoli in 1914 was remembered at a moving dawn service today.

At the Sandgate Dawn Service were David Jeffries of Narangba (8/9RAR), Dean Gollan of Bray Park (6RAR) and Dianne Wallace (who served in Timor-Leste). Picture: Michelle Smith

A YOUNG Sandgate man who was among the first Anzacs to land at Gallipoli in 1914 was remembered at a moving dawn service in Sandgate today.

Sandgate RSL Sub Branch president Peter McNamara spoke of Richard Baker who lived on Flinders Pde and enlisted on August 25, 1941 when he was 20.

Richard was issued with the army number 92 in “A” Company of the 9th BN (Queenslanders) of the 3rd Brigade.

Skip Quelch and wife Joan of Brighton at the Sandgate Dawn Service. Skip served with the Royal Australian Navy in three wars: Borneo, Vietnam and Malaysia. Picture: Michelle Smith

On September 24 Richard embarked on the troop ship HMAT Omrah from Brisbane to Alexandria, Egypt for further training and then to Gallipoli for the landing at Anzac Cove.

“Richard was among the first involved in the fighting as he was in the first of the waves of wooden boats that went ashore and he was among that initial charge up the steep cliffs, racing ahead up the banks of Anzac Cove to meet the enemy in that pale light,” Mr McNamara said.

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“History tells us that the first day of the landing was one a great confusion with the wrong beach being landed on and troops consequently mixed up among other units.

“On that fateful day 25th April 1915 Richard was seen to be fighting hard and somehow in the fog of war and the confusion Richard was lost and posted as missing in action.

“A court of inquiry held on the 5th of June 1916 found that he was missing and believe killed in action at Gallipoli on the 25th of April 1915.

Peter Spencer of Bracken Ridge with grandson Theodore Kusters of Nundah at the Sandgate Dawn Service. Peter served in Iraq in 2008-09 with a battle group encompassing the 2/14th and 6RAR. Picture: Michelle Smith

“His remains have never been found so we can say that Richard Hamilton Baker of Sandgate is still serving on the Gallipoli Peninsula.

“He is one of many Australians with no known grave on Gallipoli and is sacrifice is recorded on the Lone Pine memorial, Panel 31 at Gallipoli.”

Richard was awarded the 1914/15 Star for his service at Gallipoli, along with the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Mr McNamara said people gathered at dawn services every year “to honour the heroism, tenacity and resilience of that group of young men whose units were sent to Gallipoli”.

“The way these Anzacs bore the brunt of the fight in the Dardanelles stirred in Australians everywhere a new feeling of camaraderie, a feeling that matched the way in which the rest of the world suddenly began to look at Australia — not just as an offshoot of Britain, but as an independent nation of a very independent character.”

Mr McNamara also paid tribute to all current and former members of the Australian Defence Force, the brave men and women who represent our country daily.