Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria, to include the Brian Ritchie Collection (Part II)

Pair: Major A. F. C. T. Baines, Army Service Corps

British War and Victory Medals (Major) extremely fine (2) £80-100

Alexander Frederick Cecil Talbot Baines was born on 9 April 1879, the son of L. T. baines of Bawtry Hall, Yorkshire, and was educated at Cheltenham. A partner in the firm of Messrs. Eden, Baines & Kennaway, he joined the Army Service Corps as a Captain in October 1914. Promoted Major in 1916, he was employed as a senior supply officer. Baines was aboard the S.S. Arcadian, transporting troops from Salonika to Alexandria, when, on 15 April 1917, the ship was hit by a torpedo from an enemy submarine. The troops and crew had just completed a boat-drill and so were in a good position to evacuate the sinking ship. Although the Arcadian sank in just 6 minutes, 1,058 of the company and crew of 1,335 were rescued. Many more would have been saved had the ship not capsized so quickly. Adding to the casualties was the loose wreckage which came to the surface with great force from the ship and which killed many who were in the water. On 26 April 1917, Major Baines died of his injuries he received that day. Aged 38, he was the husband of Kathleen Baines, late of Higham, Derbyshire. He was buried in the Salonika (Lembet Road) Military Cemetery, Greece. Sold with copied research.