Thomas Michael Baker

Sapper Thomas Michael Baker – Royal Engineers, Welsh Division

Thomas Michael Baker, born in 1870 in Waterford, Ireland, was the youngest son of John Baker and Catherine Kelly, both also natives of Waterford. He later made his life in Wales, served with the Royal Engineers, Welsh Division during the First World War, and died on 31^st August 1919 in Carmarthen. He was buried at Danygraig Cemetery, Swansea.

Early Life and Family

1871 Census

The earliest surviving record of Thomas is the 1871 Census, when the Baker family were boarders at 27 William Street, Swansea, the home of Elizabeth Thomas. John Baker, aged 23, was employed as a bookbinder, while his wife Catherine, aged 20, was recorded as having no occupation. Their children were George, aged 4, and 2-month-old Michael – the name under which Thomas was first recorded.

1881 Census

By the time of the 1881 Census, the family had moved to 24 Clarence Street. John, now 32, was still working as a bookbinder, while Catherine, then 42, kept the home. Their children were George (12), Michael (10), John (8), and Kate (6), all of whom were attending school. A new addition to the family, Rosa, aged 7 months, was also present.

1891 Census

Ten years later, the 1891 Census placed the family at 33 Mysydd Street. John, then 42, remained a bookbinder, and Catherine was recorded as 46 years old. Their son George, 22, was employed as a dock labourer, while Michael, 20, followed in his father’s trade as a bookbinder. John, 18, had become a plumber, and Kate, 16, was listed as a student. The younger children – Alfred (13), Rosa (10), and Sidney (5) – were still in school.

It is notable that in both early census records, Thomas is consistently recorded under his middle name, Michael, which perhaps explains later variations in how his name was remembered.

Marriage and Later Life

1911 Census

In 1897, Thomas married Mary Ann Thomas at St. David’s Church, Carmarthen. By the time of the 1911 Census, the couple were living at Mary’s parents’ home at 58 Lammas Street, Carmarthen. John Thomas, aged 63, was employed as a flannel weaver, while his wife Margaret, also 63, kept the home. Thomas, now 40, was working as a wireman electrician, and Mary, aged 39, shared the household with her widowed sister Elizabeth Owen (30), who was employed as a baker, and Elizabeth’s daughter Margaret, aged 8.

Military Service

During the First World War, Thomas enlisted with the Royal Engineers, Welsh Division, a unit responsible for vital engineering and logistical tasks. His background as a wireman electrician would have been of value.

The Role of the Royal Engineers, Welsh Division

The Royal Engineers were often described as the “workmen of the Army.” They were responsible for building and maintaining the infrastructure that kept armies moving and fighting. The Welsh Division’s engineer units-built roads, bridges, railways, and water supplies, and maintained communication lines that were essential for coordinating men and supplies at the front.

They also played a vital role in constructing defensive positions, such as trenches, dugouts, and strongpoints, and were frequently called on to repair battlefield damage under fire. In addition, engineer units managed the use of explosives for demolition and mining operations. For men like Thomas, whose civilian skills were in electricity and wiring, the need to establish and maintain telephone and telegraph systems across the battlefield was of critical importance.

Service with the Royal Engineers was dangerous, often requiring work close to the front lines and under constant threat from artillery and enemy raids. Their work, however, was indispensable to the functioning of the British Army.

Death and Burial

Thomas Michael Baker
Danygraig Cemetery
credit - findagrave

Thomas died on 31^st August 1919 in Carmarthen, at the age of 49. Though the Armistice had been signed nearly a year earlier, his passing highlights the enduring toll of the war, when illness, injury, and the strains of military service continued to claim lives.

His funeral was held with solemnity and dignity at Danygraig Cemetery, where many of Swansea’s servicemen from the Great War are buried. The funeral was conducted with military honours, a mark of respect for his service. Local reports note that comrades and family members gathered at the graveside, the cortege passing through familiar streets before arriving at the cemetery’s upper slopes. The presence of fellow veterans and family underscored both the personal and communal loss.

Legacy

Thomas Michael Baker’s story reflects the hidden burden carried by many servicemen who returned from war only to succumb to illness or the lasting effects of their service. His grave at Danygraig Cemetery is part of the wider tapestry of remembrance that links Swansea to the global conflict of 1914–1918.

Though often remembered under the name Michael, his life bridges Ireland and Wales, civilian trade and military service, peace and war. His legacy endures alongside the many others buried at Danygraig, whose sacrifices remind us that the consequences of war stretched far beyond the battlefield.