In Newcastle upon Tyne (West Road) Crematorium is the Commonwealth War Grave (ashes) of 566388 Sergeant Sidney Baxter, serving with the 22 Squadron Royal Air Force who died 14/09/1940.
He was the son of Edward Robison Baxter and Jessie Baxter, of Birtley, Co. Durham.
In 1921 the family were at 58 Mitchell Street Birtley. Father Edward Robinson Baxter born at Seahouses in 1888 was an Engineering Millwright at the War Office National Factory, Jessie had been born in Gateshead in 1890. Sister Edna was born in 1915 and Sidney in 1916 at Birtley.
Sidney attended Chester le Street Secondary School, leaving in 1931. He was a member of St John’s Church at Birtley where he served as an altar boy. He was formerly Scout Patrol Leader of the 1st Birtley (Appleyard’s Own) Group.
In January 1933 Sidney joined the RAF as an Apprentice. Two years later he qualified as a Fitter and subsequently trained as Aircrew, passing out as Pilot.
In 1939 the family had moved to 61 Mitchell Street, Birtley. Edward was a Shop Manager Engineering and Edna was a Machinist at the Tin Plate factory
Sergeant Baxter was serving with 222 Squadron.
On 14th August 1940 he flew Spitfire I P9325 on patrol. He was involved in combat over Canterbury and force-landed his damaged aircraft at Eastchurch.
One month later, on 14th September 1940, he was flying Spitfire I X4275 on patrol and his Spitfire was badly damaged from ME 109s, he crashed attempting a landing and was killed at Rochford.
Royal Air Force Fighter Command Losses of the Second World War: Vol.1: Operational Losses: Aircraft and Crews 1939-1941; Norman L.R. Franks; 1997; Midland Publishing; ISBN 1 85780 055 9
Simon Glancey has submitted the following:
He made the following claims during the summer of 1940:
June 1st 1940, flying Spitfire I P9325 of 222 Squadron – one Messerschmitt Bf-110 destroyed over Dunkirk
September 2nd 1940, flying Spitfire I X4275 – one Bf-110 probably destroyed, one Bf-110 damaged, one Dornier Do-17 damaged
September 3 1940, flying Spitfire I X4275 – one Bf-110 probably destroyed
September 11 1940, flying Spitfire I P3031 – one Ju-88 destroyed, one He-111 destroyed
Those Other Eagles Christopher Shores, Grub Street Publishing, 2004, ISBN 1 904010 88 1, Page 44
See also:
Men of the North: A Few of The Few; Robert Dixon; Wolfs Nick Publishing; 2011; ISBN 9781466446830
A Gathering of Eagles, Robert Dixon, Publish America, 2004 ISBN 1 4137 3498 7 contains an account of the service of Sgt. Pilot Stanley Baxter in pages 31-34
The Scouter October 1940 reports:-
Baxter, Sidney, Sergeant Pilot, Fighter Command, Royal Air Force, formerly Patrol Leader of the 1st Birtley Gateshead (Appleyard’s Own) Group, aged 24 years.
A Memorial Service was held in St John’s Church conducted by the Reverend A.M. Stephens, Vicar of Birtley.
Friends and relations of Sidney were present and as he had been a member of 5th Birtley Boys Scouts, members of the 5th Birtley, 1st Birtley and Chester le Street Troops of Scouts attended.
He was cremated at West Road Crematorium Newcastle upon Tyne on September 21st 1940. His ashes were scattered in the garden of remembrance there.
Jessie died at Chester le Street General Hospital August 11th 1955 and Edward died at Winterton Hospital on October 2nd 1955. The address given was 61 Mitchell Street Birtley.
Edna Baxter continued the family connection with St John’s Church and is well remembered as a Sunday School teacher. She continued to work in the Tin Plate Factory as a forewoman.
Sidney Baxter is remembered at Birtley on B127.01 and B127.14, at Chester le Street on C105.39 and in the Scout Roll of Honour, at Monkwearmouth in M46.02, page 8. Also on the Battle of Britain Monument, see www.bbm.org.uk.
