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Charles Alma Baker And Family In London For The Presentation Of His CBE
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Subject :Charles Alma Baker and Family in London for the Presentation of His CBE
Published By : Published by Bridget Williams Books, author Barrie Macdonald
Location : London, England
Estimated Year : 1919
Media Type : Photograph
Source : Imperial Patriot / ipohWorld Library
Remark : This photograph reproduced from 'Imperial Patriot', by kind permission of the author, Barrie Macdonald, shows Charles Alma Baker in Court Dress ready to attend his investiture at Buckingham Palace. With him, suitably attired, is his wife, Florence and their daughter Judy.
The CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) was awarded to Baker for his efforts in raising funds for the British war effort in both Malaya and Australia. One rank below a knighthood, many people thought that this was far to small a recognition of all he had done and the Times of Malaya recorded these thoughts in their columns thus:
Similarly Sir Ernest (E W) Birch, was also unimpressed and wrote to the war office in a strongly worded letter:
Nonetheless, Baker, who had turned down the award in 1917 on the basis that "any award should wait until victory had been achieved" was pleased that his work had been recognised and if he was at all disappointed not to have received a knighthood, he kept it to himself.
Thereafter he signed himself as "C. Alma Baker, C.B.E."
To read about Charles Alma Baker and his wife Florence in Perak, click here.
To read more about E W Birch, click here.
To read more about The Times of Malaya, click here.
To know more about the Book "Imperial Patriot", click here.
The CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) was awarded to Baker for his efforts in raising funds for the British war effort in both Malaya and Australia. One rank below a knighthood, many people thought that this was far to small a recognition of all he had done and the Times of Malaya recorded these thoughts in their columns thus:
"That Mr. Alma Baker has been honoured will come as no surprise to the people of Malaya, Australia and even India and Ceylon .... But what will come as a surprise is that the degree of recognition has fallen so short of public expectations. We can conscientously say that neither Mr. Alma Baker nor any of his friends were particularly anxious for any reward of merit to accrue to him for services that were prompted by a pure spiruit of patriotism, but it is impossible to deny that the results he achieved are deserving of something more than a mere Commandership of the Order of the British Empire."
Similarly Sir Ernest (E W) Birch, was also unimpressed and wrote to the war office in a strongly worded letter:
"May I as a Civil Servant of 30 years standing suggest to you that the honour conferred on Alma Baker is inadequate in view of his strenuous work in obtaining 41 Australian and 53 Malayan aeroplanes ....I venture to point out that Alma Baker's work compares very brilliantly with that done by others who have received ... higher honours."
Nonetheless, Baker, who had turned down the award in 1917 on the basis that "any award should wait until victory had been achieved" was pleased that his work had been recognised and if he was at all disappointed not to have received a knighthood, he kept it to himself.
Thereafter he signed himself as "C. Alma Baker, C.B.E."
To read about Charles Alma Baker and his wife Florence in Perak, click here.
To read more about E W Birch, click here.
To read more about The Times of Malaya, click here.
To know more about the Book "Imperial Patriot", click here.
Filename : 20100411-011