Archaeological remains associated with the GEORGE BAKER are not confirmed at this location, but may be present in the vicinity. This entry is for the Documented Loss of the GEORGE BAKER on 17 August 1915.

Event and Historical Information:
The GEORGE BAKER was a wooden steam drifter built in 1913 by John Chambers & Co. Ltd, of Oulton Broad, Lowestoft. The vessel was 91grt, 84.2 ft long, 19.5 ft wide and 9.8 ft depth of hold. At the time of loss, it was owned by E. A. Baker, Great Yarmouth.

On 17 August 1915, the GEORGE BAKER was captured and sunk by U-38 (commanded by Max Valentiner), with no casualties.

The loss is attributed to being 'stopped and scuttled by U-38, 45 miles north of Bishop Rock', assumed by Wrecksite.EU to be Bishop Rock Lighthouse, Isles of Scilly. However, the clustering of other vessels captured and sunk by U-38 on this day (10 in total to the north of the Smalls and east of the Tuskar Rock, Ireland), including GLENBY (NPRN 274830), ISODORO (NPRN 544270), KIRKBY (NPRN 274829), THORNFIELD (NPRN 273139) would suggest 45 miles north of the group of rocks collectively known as 'The Bishops' off Pembrokeshire as being a more likely location. The location of the loss of the GEORGE BAKER has therefore been assigned to a location 45nm north of the Bishops Lighthouse, Pembrokeshire.

Sources include:

Mercantile Navy List, 1915, p. 288, via Crewlist.org https://www.crewlist.org.uk/data/viewimages?regtype=MNL&year=1915&name=GEORGE%20BAKER&steamsail=Steam&page=228

https://uboat.net/wwi/boats/successes/u38.html

https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?148725

J. Whitewright, RCAHMW, December 2023.