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Auction: 23113 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 192

The Victory Medal awarded to Major F. S. A. Baker, Royal Air Force, late Seaforth Highlanders, whose extensive legal career included involvement with "Shot-at-Dawn" Court Martial cases during the Great War, and culminated with a Knighthood and being appointed Queen's Remembrancer in the 1950's; he also found time to become a founder member, and second President, of Mayfair's Lansdowne Club

Victory Medal 1914-19, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Major F. S. A. Baker. R.A.F.), very fine

Frederick Spencer Arnold Baker (also variously appearing as 'Arnold-Baker' and apparently known as 'Freddie') was born on 1 April 1885 and educated at Winchester and Oriel College Oxford. Called to the Bar at the Inner Temple in 1909 and joining the Western Circuit, upon the outbreak of the Great War he was commissioned Second-Lieutenant in the 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders. His legal background was clearly valuable, as he was selected for duty in collection with Courts-Martial on 30 June 1916; being Mentioned in Despatches a year later (London Gazette, 25 May 1917 refers) he is noted as being one of the officers present as a member of the court for the trial of Private Charles McColl, East Yorkshire Regiment, who was found 'Guilty of Desertion' and executed by firing party on the morning of 28 December 1917. By this point a Captain, in 1918 Baker was appointed a Staff Major (S.O.2) attached to 3 Brigade Royal Air Force; he later became Private Secretary to Major-General (later Air Vice Marshal) Sir Frederick Sykes and was appointed Chief of Staff at the Air Ministry in 1919. Leaving the Royal Air Force later that year, during the Second World War he is noted as being appointed Colonel in the Home Guard.

Returning to the legal world when not in uniform, Baker was made a Master of the Queen's Bench Division in 1926 and progressed to be appointed Queen's Remembrancer (1951-57) and appointed Knight Bachelor in 1954. Outside of work, he was a founder member and second President of the renowned Lansdowne Club on Berkeley Square and a member of the Royal Thames Yacht Club, Junior Carlton and the Royal St. George Golf Club. He died, aged 78, in December 1963.

Sold with copied paperwork, newspaper extracts and a small name plaque for display purposes.

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Sold for
£150

Starting price
£30