Abel Baker                                                                                                  Updated:  10 JAN 2012

Airman: e777870.htm Surname: Baker Init: A Rank: F/Lt Service: RAF Sqdn: 058

P_link: p471.htm Plane: HAL JP173 Operation: Anti ship Crash_site: The Skagerrak

Crash_d: d210245 Buried_d: e777 C_link: e777.htm At_Next: NO KNOWN

Flight Lieutenant Abel Baker, 23 år, var søn af Abel og Doris Elsie Baker, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
Hans navn er på Panel 265 på the Runnymede Memorial blandt mere end 20.000 navne på flyvere, der ikke har en kendt grav. (Kilde: CWGC)

Den 21. februar 1944 forsvandt HAL JP173 over Skagerrak, måske omkring her. Flyvehistorisk Tidsskrift skriver:

"20/21 februar 1945. Halifax GR.II, JP173 (BY-H). 58 Squadron, 18 Group, Coastal Command, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis. (Anti shipping patrol i Skagerrak). 9 MIA.

Kl. 19.00 lettede JP173. C-Charlie fra 58 Sqn angreb 6 handelsskibe i Skagerrak og G-George fra 502 Sqn angreb et 6.000 tons handelsskib og fire mindre skibe 60 km Ø for Kristiansand i Norge. JP173 og piloten F/Lt. Abel Baker samt 8 andre besætningsmedlemmer er aldrig fundet." (FT 89-73-41)

Flight Lieutenant Abel Baker, 23, was the son of Abel and Doris Elsie Baker, of Cardiff, United Kingdom.
He is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, Panel 265, among more than 20,000 airmen who have no known grave. (Source: CWGC)

On 21 February 1944 HAL JP173 disappeared over the Skagerrak, maybe about here. (Danish) Aviation Historical Review writes:

"20/21 February 1945. Halifax GR.II, JP173 (BY-H). 58 Squadron, 18 Group, Coastal Command, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis. (Anti shipping patrol in the Skagerrak). 9 MIA.

At 19.00 hours JP173 took off. C-Charlie from 58 Squadron attacked 6 merchant ships in the Skagerrak, and G-George from 502 Squadron attacked a merchant ship of 6,000 tons and 4 smaller ships 60 km east of Kristianssand in Norway. JP173 and Pilot, F/Lt Abel Baker and 8 other crew members have never been found."
(FT 89-73-41)

See Bomber Command No. 58 Squadron * RAF Coastal Command * RAF - Handley Page Halifax. This Halifax from No. 18 Group RAF took off from RAF Stornoway. Robin Hudson of RAFA Stornoway sent details of airmen from HAL JP333 * HAL JP302 * HAL JP173 * HAL PN402 * HAL JP299. Also HAL HX224 and HAL JP336
took off from RAF Stornoway. See also 58 Squadron (History Page, WW II). See Lost Airmen from RAF Stornoway.  9 airmen.