Royal Navy (Fleet Air Arm)

Killed in action 15 November 1942

He died in the sinking of the escort carrier HMS Avenger on 15 November 1942 aged 24. He was the son of Arthur and Mary Elizabeth Baker of 399, Rossendale Road, Burnley who were in business as House Furnishers and Funeral Directors at 38A/40, Church Street, Burnley. James was the husband of Joan Baker, of 24, Moreland Road to whom he had been married for 2 years. He was a former Burnley Grammar School pupil and worked with his father before enlisting. He had a brother Edwin and sisters Clare and Lily.

James joined the Fleet Air Arm as an Air Mechanic in 1939. He survived the torpedoing of his ship in 1940 following which he was engaged on Russian Convoy Service. In 1941 he joined HMS Avenger (ex US Mercantile Marine "Rio Hudson") which was an escort carrier built at Chester, U.S.A., and entered service (leased) with the Royal Navy on 27 November 1940. H.M.S. Avenger was sunk by the German submarine U-155 west of Gibraltar whilst escorting Convoy MKF 1. Only one torpedo hit, but the ship did not have the modifications incorporated in later escort carriers and she blew up, leaving only 17 survivors.

Commemorated on the Lee on Solent War Memorial.

Note: -
U-boat 155 was commanded by Lt Adolf Pienning, Knights Cross, who torpedoed MV "San Victoria" (8,136 gross tons) of whose crew there was only one survivor. On 15 November he also sank the liner "Ettrick" and damaged the American Ship "Almark". He also sank 9 vessels between 28 July and 10 August 1943 including the "Clan McNaughton", "Empire Arnold", "San Emilene", "San Fabian".