Carleton Rode First World War Archive
Reginald George Baker was the youngest child of James and Frances Baker. His older brother James, emigrated to Canada in 1914, joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force and was killed during the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele). See our War Dead section. We are very grateful to Reginald’s grandson, Steve Hale, for writing the fascinating account of his grandfather’s life that follows and for …
James William Baker was born on the 10th October 1889 when the family were living on the Fen in Carleton Rode. His father, James, was a local man and an agricultural labourer, and his mother was Frances Julia Land from New Buckenham. There were four children – James William, Oliver Perry born in 1891, Gertrude Alice (known as Gertie), 1892, and Reginald George …
Ernest Edward Bennington was born in Runhall, Norfolk in 1886 to Edward, a farm labourer born in Brandon Parva (a neighbouring parish), and Anna Maria Brown (who was born in Runhall). The family moved several times; we know that they were living in Rattle Row, Wymondham in 1901 and that they moved to Carleton Rode from Wicklewood in 1904. There were 13 children …
(William) Ernest Colman was born on the 20th July 1888 in Carleton Rode to William Bowles Colman, farmer, and his wife Caroline Selina Bryant (born in Kenninghall). He had three sisters, Evelyn Mary, Doris May and Ruth Bryant; the family lived at Kendal Lodge. Ernest was educated at a school in Bracondale, Norwich and in 1911 he was working as a bank clerk. …
