Letters Thomas Charles Richmond Baker 1918- Part 1

A.W.M. File No.12/11/593

CAPTAIN T.C.R. BAKER, D.F.C., M.M. No.4. SQDN. A.F.C.

Letters 2/1/18 - 1/10/18

K.I.A.

 

A.W.M.

LIBRARY

Class.No. 181.11

 

The Official War Historian of the Commonwealth

Government (Dr. C. E. W. Bean), after his study of the
collection of private war records preserved in the Australian

War Memorial Library, wrote :

"The private diaries in this collection furnish some of its most 

valuable historical records, but, like all private memoirs which were

not compiled with any historical purpose, they should not be
regarded as first-hand evidence except where it is certain that they

are so. The diarist is almost always sincere in his desire to record

accurately, but he is subject to no obligation or inducement to

indicate whether he is recording his own observations or incidents

told him by friends or heard at third or fourth hand at the mess-table.

Thus, in some of the diaries in this collection, scenes described with

vivid detail, and without any warning that they are told at second

or third hand, have been found to be completely inaccurate in 

important details. A certain number also have been written up

or revised long after the events, though doubtless usually from notes 

made at the time. In most cases the student must rely on his

experiences and on internal evidence to guide him in judging what is

and what is not likely to be historically accurate." 

 

 

Queens College

Oxford 2-1-18

10

landing back here

was rather painful.

By the way, we had

Christmas dinner at

Frascatis.

We get very little

time here now, because

the exams. come off

next week. When we

pass those bally exams

we are sent to elementry

flying squadrons, & start

the practical flying. I

wont be sorry either.

Although the work

isn't hard in the least

here, there is the dickens

of a lot to memorise.

Twelve subjects to pass

in & every instructor says

his subject is the most

important, so you can see

9.

lot of him & tell

her that Elgar was

first favourite when

they got onto him.

Well I wont go into

any more 'raptures' on

what are they called

about that.

One afternoon I

took the Mosses Longbottom

to the theatre & they

took me to tea after

that, to a bonz. little

joint called the Thistle,

opposite the Picadilly Tube

Station in Haymarket.

Know it? No. You

might some day. If you

ever go there, don't forget

to try the shortbread.

I might say that

 

11.

that we have to go

some. However, I

haven't the slightest

fear of failing.

Am going for a

cross counrty run 3½

miles on Sunday

afternoon, Energetic

eh! Have given up

the rowing. Much too

cold I can tell you.

Am writing with

a new fountain pen

which I bought as part

of a present from Auntie

Fan. The other part is

a pair of boots.

I bought a new

uniform whilst on leave.

That ran me into £10.

12.

You people out in

Aussie can't imagine

the price you have

to pay for anything

in England now.

You can't get a decent

tailored tunic for

less than £4.4. or

breeches for less than

£3.3. A pair of slacks

costs £2.2. & 10/6 is 

nothing to pay for

puttees. The new

outfit is not the

flying corps jacket, but

the Austn. Open collar

Officer's General Service

tunic & cap. Don't

know which I like best

but I like to look

like an Australian.

 

 

14.

'real dinkum' news to

tell you about Oxford.

Same old routine &

it gets pretty dry at

times. That is the

instruction, but otherwise,

we have a

fair time. Rather

extravagant I must

admit. I don't think

there is anything else

to talk about.

I am jolly interested

in your boat

Jeff. Hope it is a huge

success. You must

take a photograph of

it when completed, or

half a dozen. Your

yacht squadron aught to

13.

I am posting by this 

mail some photographs

which we had taken

some time ago. One

is of the Australians

attached here, & the

other is the whole of

the Frun's Cadet

Squadron, undergoing

technical training here.

Those of the crew &

the enlargement of the

crew/rowing) haven't

turned up yet, but I

am expecting 'em every

day. Most likely they

will be in time for

this mail. I hope

so anyhow.

There is very little

 

15.

be quite good fun.

Some canvass that

outfit of yours is going

to carry.

Wait 'till I get

on the flying. I'll give

you what oh. Loops,

rolling etc. etc. etc.

Spinning nose dives etc.

Met a pal from

the Bty. whilst in

London, just over to

an Artillery officer's cadet

school from France. I

feel sorry for those poor 

beggars there. I know

what a Winter is like

there. I gave him a

jolly good time in London.

16.

Now Jeff old son,

give my love etc

to all I know, & say

I'm jolly sorry that I

don't write oftener, but

explain how stuck for

time we get at times.

I remember 'em all.

My best love

to all the dears of

the family & Auntie.

When I get the remainder

of my Aussie mail I

will write again. There

won't be too much to

say though.

Lots of xxes to

all. Best luck old boy.

Rick.

xxxxxxxx.

 

 

aerial photographs & I have

then done all that is

necessary for my 'pip'

i.e. star. I wrote to Auntie

last Sat. Since then I

have done a cross country

flight to a little place

near Liverpool & back.

& last Tuesday I did my

first flight on a single

seater scout, a Sapwith

'Pup". Got on very well

indeed, & next day I did

every stunt possible on

same machine & was

congratulated from several

of the heads & otherwise.

The Mjr, told me yesterday

that when we shift, he

which will be next

Tuesday, he wants me

5th Training Sqn.

A.F.C.

Shawbury.

Salap.

England.

30th Mar 18.

Dearest Ma,

This ought to

reach you near your

dear old Buft. day, which

I hope will be a very

happy one. Just as a

little good news for

the occasion I will

tell you that I have

nearly graduated now

& in a few days will

have my commission.

The wings will follow

shortly. I am only

waiting for a decent

day to take some

 

to fly a machine to

the new place. That

will be quite a decent 

trip. When I get there

I am going straight

away on four days

graduation leave. I 

wish to goodness we

could get some fine 

weather. Have to take

photos from over 5,000

ft. I went up yesterday

afternoon to have a try,

but the clouds were

just a little over 2000,

so I went up above

them, & a prettier 

effect you could never

with to behold. The

sun shines down on

the clouds & they are

 just as white & glisten

like snow. You can

fly along in cloud

valleys, up lanes, etc, &

every now & then a

little break occurs &

you can see the earth

on a little patch of

it through the hole.

I cruised around for 

about an hour over

the first object I had

to take, hoping a hole

would come over it

but no such luck, so

I amused myself diving

through the aforementioned

holes from

on top to underneath

 

turned a debate & have

come to the conclusion

that old Dug will do

us for a Generalissimo.

The  weather shows

signs of clearing up, thank

goodness. Aught to be a

good day for the birds

tomorrow.

Being Easter Sunday

tomorrow it is my

intention to go to a

Communion Service at 9.45am

Haven't been able to go

to one for quite a long

time now.

I think in Auntie's

letter I said which

parcels I had received.

Was very annoyed to find

the clouds.

When we go to

this new place I will

most probably be flying

one of our latest scout

machines. I can't give

you any details, but

believe me, it can

travel. 140M.P.H. isn't its 

limit. I'm just itching

to try one on a Fritz.

By the way, old Fritz

hasn't made a bad

show in this offensive

of his has he? However

it must have cost him

much more than he

can afford. i don't

feel at all downhearted.

We have just

held what might be

 

 

that the bonza box

of cigarettes from Cornetes

had become damp en

route & gone mouldy.

However - their is

a War on.

Well, Um, dear, there

is no news. Things go

on in the same old way.

I will close now, after

wishing you all sorts of

good wishes over again

for your birthday.

Before you get

this I hope you will

receive a cable, saying

I am T.C.R.B. Esq. of

the A.F.C. & another

on your birthday.

Much love to all

& extras for yourself

Ana dear.

from your loving 

son.

Rich or Utch