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South Warwickshire Family History Society War Memorial Transcription Project

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The Fallen Men of South Warwickshire - World War One


6th Engineer Sydney Christopher BAKER - SS Minihaha, Mercantile Marine

Killed in action on Friday 7th September 1917 aged 25


Military History

     
Theatre of War in Which Died Campaign Medals Commonwealth War Grave or Memorial
Atlantic Ocean British War & Victory Medals Tower Hill Memorial, London
     
First Arrived in Theatre Other WW1 Campaign Medal             SWFHS Area Memorials
Not applicable Mercantile Marine War Medal Leamington Spa War Memorial
     
Action, Battle or Other Reason Died Date Enlisted Other War Memorials
Killed during the sinking of SS Minihaha 1914 in Mercantile Marine 
     
Place of Death Previous Regiments or Units  
Fastnet, SW of Ireland ~  
     

Circumstances of Death

Sydney is listed as being killed on 7th September 1917 when his vessel, SS Minihaha was sunk by a German U Boat.

Wikipedia reports that on 7 September 1917 SS Minnehaha sank within four minutes with 43 fatalities, after being torpedoed by German U-boat U-48, off the Fastnet. Her sister ships Minneapolis and Minnetonka were sunk while in use as troop transports during World War I.

Image Courtesy TuckDB Postcards

SS Minihaha was a 14,000-ton ship, built in 1900 by Harland & Wolff in Belfast, and was an emblem of the transatlantic shipping industry, ferrying passengers and cargo between London and New York. Click here for a report on the 2024 expedition to explore the remains of the ship.


 
 Personal & Family History

 

Birth Date/Place Baptism Date/Place
Jan Qtr 1892 in Leamington Spa 25 May 1892 at Leamington Spa, St Paul's        
   
Parents Names Abode
Arthur and Annie Baker 39 Russell Terrace, Leamington Spa 
   
Schools Colleges
  ~
   
Address History Employment History
1892 - 20 Morton Street, Leamington Spa 1901 - Scholar 
1901 - 92 Plymouth Place, Leamington Spa 1911 - Coach Body Maker in fathers business
1911 - 47 Radford Road, Leamington Spa 1915 - Coach Body Maker in fathers business
1917 - 39 Russell Terrace, Leamington Spa