The AIF Project

War service: Western Front

Embarked Sydney, 24 August 1916.

Found guilty, 27 August 1916, of being absent from parade: awarded 1 week of fatigues.

Found guilty, 14 September 1916, of whilst of active service, disobedience of an order given by by a NCO: awarded 7 days' confined to barracks, and forfeits 2 days' pay.

Disembarked Devonport, England, 11 October 1916.

Found guilty, 27 October 1916, of being absent without leave from midnight, 23 October 1916, until midnight, 25 October 1916: award, admonished and total forfeiture of 2 days' pay.

Taken on strength of 36th Bn, 11 November 1916.

Proceeded overseas to France, 22 November 1916.

Found guilty, 8 April 1917, of absenting himself without leave from a working party in the trenches from 0600 hours, until 1100 hours, 4 April 1917: award, forfeits 7 days' pay, and forfeits 1 day's pay under Royal Warrant.

Evacuated to hospital, 25 September 1917; admitted to No 9 Australian Field Ambulance, 26 September 1917 (not yet diagnosed); transferred to No 10 Stationary Hospital, 26 September 1917; to No 10 Convalescent Depot, 7 October 1917; to No 13 Convalescent Depot, 4 November 1917 (debility); to No 39 General Hospital, 6 November 1917 (venereal disease: gonorrhoea); marched into Australian Intermediate Base Depot, Rouelles, 30 December 1917; total period of treatment for venereal disease: 55 days.

Proceeded to unit, 7 January 1918; rejoined 36th Bn, 10 January 1918.

Detached to Tunnelling Company, 8 February 1918; rejoined unit, 24 February 1918.

Admitted to No 9 Australian Field Ambulance, 13 March 1918, and transferred to No 4 Stationary Hospital the same day (scabies); discharged, 20 March 1918; marched into Australian Intermediate Base Depot, Rouelles, 22 March 1918.

Proceeded to unit, 10 April 1918; rejoined 36th Bn, 18 April 1918.

Posted as absent without leave, 19 April 1918.

Transferred to 34th Bn, 30 April 1918; taken on strength of 34th Bn whilst absent without leave, 30 April 1918; apprehended by Assistant Provost Marshal, Le Havre, 8 May 1918.

Admitted to No 39 General Hospital, Le Havre, 8 May 1918 (venereal disease); discharged to Assistant Provost Marshal, Le Havre, 15 May 1918; total period of treatment for venereal disease: 8 days.

Escaped whilst proceeding to unit under escort, 24 May 1918.

Court of Enquiry, 30 July 1918, declares Private Baxter an illegal absentee from 24 May 1918.

Apprehended, Rouen, 25 August 1918.

Proceeded to unit under escort, 9 September 1918, and rejoined 34th Bn the same day.

Marched out to safe custody, 15 September 1918; rejoined unit, 26 September 1918.

Found guilty, 27 September 1918, of while of active service, being absent without leave from 1800 hours, 19 April 1918, until apprehended by Military Police at 1315 hours, 3 May 1918: awarded 28 days' Field Punishment No 2, and total forfeiture of 42 days' pay.

Detached to Field Punishment Compound, 27 September 1918; rejoined unit, 12 October 1918.

Tried by Field General Court Martial, 26 October 1918, on a charge of being absent without leave from 1200 hours, 24 May 1918, until 1600 hours, 25 August 1918: found guilty: awarded 2 years' imprisonment with hard labour; sentence confirmed by Brigadier General H.A. Goddard, 9th Australian Infantry Bde, 29 October 1918.

Admitted to No 11 Military Prison, Audricq, 17 January 1919.

Court of Enquiry, 19 February 1919, declared Private Baxter illegally absent from 1330 hours, 27 January 1919.

Admitted to No 4 General Hospital, Camiers, 22 February 1919 (pyrexia of unknown origin).

Died of disease, 4th General Hospital, Camiers, 26 February 1919 (broncho-pneumonia).