Brigadier General Anthony Hugh Baldwin

De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour 1914-1918

findmypast Transcription

• First name(s) Anthony Hugh
• Last name Baldwin
• Birth year 1863
• Death year 1915
• Regiment Manchester Regt
• Volume 1
• Category Military, armed forces & conflict
• Subcategory First World War
• Collections from Great Britain

Brig-Gen Anthony Hugh Baldwin, Commanding 38th Infantry Brigade, late Manchester Regt., only son of James Baldwin of Smithies Bridge, Clitheroe, co, Lancaster, by his wife Ann, dau of James Part; born Stratford on Avon co. Warwick, 30 Sept 1863; educ. Clitheroe Grammar School and Giggleswick; obtained his first commission as Lieut. in 1st Manchester Regt. from the Militia, 14 May 1884, being promoted Capt. 3 Feb 1892; Major 15 Dec 1900; Lieut-Col. 17 Feb 1908; substantive Col. 4 Oct 1911; Col. 13 Aug 1914; and Brig. Gen. 24 Aug 1914. He joined the 2nd Battalion in India in 1888, served with it at Agra, Meerut and Dinapore, and was Adjutant from 5 July 1891 to 4 Aug 1895 when he returned to England, From 14 Nov 1898 to 13 Nov 1903 he was Adjutant of the 6th (Militia) Battalion and was at the depot at Ashton-under-Lyne until July 1902, when he went out with this battalion to South Africa and took part in the operations in the Orange River Colony. March to 31 May 1902, receiving the King's medal with 3 clasps. On his return in Sept. he served with the 2nd Battalion at Aldershiot, Cork, Alderney, Portsmouth and Mullingar, and in 1910 returned to India to command the 1st Battalion. He was present at the Delhi Burbar (Medal), and 1 June 1914 retired on half-pay. On the outbreak of the European War he offered his services and was given the command of the the 38th Infantry Brigade, 13th Division, 5 Sept 1914, which he trained at Tedworth, Winchester and Blackdown, and took to the Dardanelles on 14 June 1915. He was killed at its head on 10 Aug 1915 in a attack on Canak about a month after landing. The Brigade after his fall were forced to retreat and his body was not recovered.
The A.D.C. to the Divisional General wrote:

"He died in the front line leading his Brigade - he died as a gallant English gentleman, beloved, honoured, respected and mourned by all. He met his death as I am sure must have wished, absolutely in the front line of his splendid Brigade".

And the Brigade Machine Gun Officer:

"In General Baldwin the Brigade has lost a wonderfully capable leader, cool and collected in the moment of danger, always ready with a cheery word and a smile to help those who, not having his nerve, were not so collected as he. In quiet times a more charming and considerate officer could not be found. His kindness and consideration for the junior members of his staff, and indeed for everybody, down to the merest drummer boy, were wonderful, and he held the heart and affection of every man he commanded".

Gen. Baldwin married in London Emily Seabrooke, dau of the late Thomas Dyson, of the Bank of Bengal, and had issue: Mary Violet d. 25 June 1913; and Betty b 1 Sept 1899.

Boer War

He was in the 6th (Militia) Bn. in The Boer War.

He earned the QSA with clasps Cape Colony, Orange Free State and S. Africa 1902, as Major and Adjutant.

He probably served with 6th Manchesters in South Africa. The battalion sailed from SA on 7th September 1902 aboard Guelph and Major AH Baldwin was with them - probably as second in command of the 6th.
He later, in 1910, took over command of the 1st Battalion in India at Jullundur.

LOTFWW

Parish Church of St Michael and All Angels, Ashton-under-Lyne

Memorial brass to Brigadier General Anthony Hugh Baldwin of the Manchester Regiment. Killed in action at Gallipoli on 10 August 1915 whilst commanding 38th Infantry Brigade.

In loving memory of Brigadier General Anthony Hugh Baldwin

 Served 30 years with the Manchester Regiment. 

Only son of James Baldwin of Smithies Bridge, Clitheroe Lancashire.
Born 30 September 1863
Killed in Action in Gallipoli 10 August 1915

He appears on the IGS 1854 Medal Roll with the Clasp, "Samana 1891" for the Miranzai Expedition

The battle in which he was killed was one of the Battles of Suvla and was officially known as "The Battle of Sari Bair" from the 6th to 10th August 1915.

Battalions of the division formed the core of the force (known as "Baldwin's Brigade" after the commander, Brigadier General Anthony Baldwin) to capture Hill Q on August 9 but were not in position in time and so spent the day encamped on a small plateau beneath Chunuk Bair known as "The Farm". When the Turks counter-attacked on the morning of August 10 the division's troops on Chunuk Bair and at The Farm, about 3000 men, were wiped out.

On August 9 three columns moved out. The New Zealanders, were in No. 1 column. No. 3 column, under General Baldwin, lost its way, and when required at the supreme moment on the crest it was not there; the Turkish commander saw his chance, and the South Lancashires and Gurkhas, who looked right over to the Asiatic shores of the Dardanelles, were forced back over the crest. In the night of the 9th the New Zealanders, who had been ceaselessly fighting for three days and nights, were relieved. They were exhausted with fatigue, and Chunuk Bair, which they had so magnificently won, was handed over to two battalions of the 13th Division. The Turks delivered a counter-attack next day against these two battalions. The North Lancashiresmen were simply overwhelmed by sheer weight of numbers, while the Wilts., caught in the open, were almost annihilated, and the enemy masses swept over the crest. The warships and all the artillery concentrated their fire, and the New Zealand machine-guns put in the most deadly work. Only a few Turks got back to their own side of the ridge.

Strong enemy forces were hurled against the farm lower down on the north. A deadlt combat took place, and the troops there, recent arrivals from Britain, were driven clean down the hill. At the foot they were rallied, and returned to the farm, where hand to hand fighting took place. The casualties in the Australian and New Zealand forces had reached 12,000, and many officers had fallen. The 13th division of the New Army had lost 6000 out of 10,500. General Baldwin was gone and all his staff. Ten commanding officers out of 13 had disappeared from the fighting effectives, and the Warwicks and Worcesters had lost every single officer.

1881 Census; 11-15 The Common School
Census Place:Woolwich, Kent, England
Source:FHL Film 1341175 PRO Ref RG11 Piece 0748 Folio 6 Page 3

• Hugh BALDWIN U 17 M (born) Stratford On Avon, Warwick, England
  

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