Mexborough and Swinton Times February 16, 1918
On Saturday evening a dance was held in the Church Hall, Kilnhurst, in celebration of the honour conferred recently on Captain Arthur Baker (York and Lancaster Regt.), son of the Late Mr. John Baker, of Moorgate, Rotherham, and a member of the firm and staff of Messrs John Baker and Co., Rotherham and Kilnhurst.
Captain Baker, who has served throughout the war, for the most part as a Territorial officer, won the Military Cross at Passchendaele on October 9,1917; and to mark the event the work people at the Kilnhurst Steel Works arranged this dance to provide the occasion for a presentation to Captain Baker.
Mr. Wm. Cavill, works manager, presided over the presentation ceremony, and among those present were Captain Baker, Lieut.-Co. T. W. H. Mitchell (Wath-on-Pearne), John Baker, O.B.E., and- Mrs. Baker, Mr. and Mrs. ,Geo. Baker, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Baker, and Mr. and Mrs. Sidney. Baker. There was a very good attendance.
Mr. Cavill said they were all very proud of Capt. Baker’s achievement, and felt that an honour done to Captain Baker was an honour done to the firm and the works. Captain Baker’s devotion to duty set them an example which they would all do well to follow. ,
Lieut.-Col. T. W. H. Mitchell who made the presentation, said he was delighted to be there to pay his tribute to Captain Baker. Captain Baker joined him as an officer of the 2nd-5th Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment, and no officer ever discharged his duty more devotedly or conscientiously, as far as he (Col. Mitchell) remembered. That was a good deal to say, for from. September, 1914, to his retirement, about ninety officers passed through his hands. Mr. Baker orginally enlisted as a private in the Sheffield City Battalion, and in that he showed the right spirit, for he joined as quickly as possible, and did not wait to choose his job. They were all very pleased to see him there that night, looking very fit, and to know that his services had been recognised by the award of the Military Cross.
He (Colonel Mitchell) appreciated very warm the Horner and privilege of being invited to Kilnhurst to tender to Captain Baker tokens of the esteem in which he was held by the work people and staff of the firm.
Colonel Mitchell then presented to Captain Baker a magnificent sword, originally chased and ornamented, and suitably inscribed on either side of the blade, and a costly leather dressing case, fully fitted. The sword is a gift of the staff, and the dressing case is given by the work people
Captain Baker said he deeply appreciated the kindness and good feeling which had prompted these gifts. He hoped it would not be long before he was able to hang up the sword as a relic and not an instrument of war, and to devote the dressing case to civilian uses. (Hear, hear).
Whenever he came home he was invariably asked to question:
(a) Are we winning? (b) when’s the war going to be over? (Laughter)
As to the former question he had heard men say out at the Front, where grim pleasantries abounded, “Well, if we are winning, it’s any whether with the runner-up.” (Laughter.)
We should ask to be very careful to avoid being the runner-up. We could not afford to be second in this race. (Hear, hear.) If we were, to win we must beat the enemy in the field. if it came to talk he would beat us easily. He was unscrupulous, but he was very, very clever. He (Captain Baker\ knew how well the people at home in the matter of munitions were working, but what the men at the front wanted was a moral support as well as material. The other week “out there” a man picked up a- newspaper from home and flinging it down impatiently said: “Well. if that’s all we’re fighting for, I’m ready to chuck it.” Men could not fight if they felt they were not being backed up, and the people at home were not whole-heartedly in the struggle. If there was any breach British morale it would be at home. They could rely on it that the men in France would fight while there was anything to fight for.
There was a good deal of talk at the present time about a great German offensive in the West. He did not think there was, any need for anxiety about that. The Germans had been beaten before and they would he beaten again. At Ypres. in 1915, for every three shells- we fired (and two of them failed to explode, usually), the Germans gave us twenty. The position now was reversed, Thanks to the people at home, who had put their backs into the work of making munitions. If the people at home would stick it, victory was certain. (Applause.) He gratefully acknowledged the beautiful gifts which had been prescribed to him. (Applause.)
Mr. Cavill proposed a vote of thanks to Col. Mitchell, and Mr. Turton seconded. Colonel Mitchell responding said he would like to emphasise what Captain Baker had said with regard to to the necessity for maintaining morale at home. One way in which the /lien t home could help to do this was by devotint, their leisure to volunteer training. That should show the men at the Front that they were. prepared to take their part in the defence of the country. (Hear, hear.)
The dance was very enjoyable. The arrangements had been carried out by Mr, Turton (who acted as M.C.), Mr. Cavill, and a committee. The music was supplied by the Swinton Glee Baud.