| Regimental number | 2560 |
| Place of birth | West Brunswick, Victoria |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Occupation | Tram conductor |
| Address | 88 Hope Street, South Yarra, Victoria |
| Marital status | Single |
| Age at embarkation | 32 |
| Height | 5' 8" |
| Weight | 145 lbs |
| Next of kin | Mother, Mrs M Baines, 13 Barkley Street, West Brunswick, Victoria |
| Previous military service | Nil |
| Enlistment date | |
| Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll | |
| Place of enlistment | Melbourne, Victoria |
| Rank on enlistment | Private |
| Unit name | 23rd Battalion, 6th Reinforcement |
| AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/40/2 |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A38 Ulysses on |
| Rank from Nominal Roll | Private |
| Unit from Nominal Roll | 58th Battalion |
| Fate | Killed in Action |
| Place of death or wounding | Battle of Fromelles, France |
| Date of death | |
| Place of burial | No known grave |
| Commemoration details | V.C. Corner (Panel No 14), Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France |
| Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 165 |
| Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Mother died 24 June 1929. |
| Other details |
War service: Egypt, Western Front Admitted to No 1 Australian General Hospital, Heliopolis, 23 January 1916 (injury to head); transferred to No 1 Auxiliary Hospital, 27 January 1916; to Convalescent Depot, Helouan, 2 February 1916. Allotted to and proceeded to join, 58th Bn, 23 February 1916; taken on strength, 23 February 1916. Admitted to 4th Field Ambulance, 30 March 1916 (sore feet); transferred same day to No 1 Stationary Hospital, Ismailia; to 8th Field Ambulance, 31 March 1916; rejoined unit, Ferry Post, 1 April 1916. Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 17 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 23 June 1916. Missing in action, 19 July 1916. Statement by 2851 Pte V.R. BAKER, 15 February 1917: 'Whilst engaged in collecting equipment etc from dead and wounded men in No Man's Land on the Fromelles Front during August 1916, I took a Pay Book showing 2560 Pte Baines C V 58th Bn from the body of a dead soldier. I could not recognise the face of the soldier as he had been deceased at least a couple of weeks, but as I knew that Pte Baines was missing, I took this body to be the body of Pte Baines.' Statement, Red Cross File No 190205, 2851 Pte V.R. BAKER, C Company, 58th Bn (patient, No 2 General Hospital, Calais), 2 December 1916: 'He was killed the 19th July at Fromelles in No Man's Land. I found his body and took his pay-book out of his pocket.' Second statement, 2758 Pte J.H. RANDALL, 58th Bn (patient, No 22 General Hospital, Etaples), 1 March 1917: 'After we had got over about 200 yards on Nomansland (sic) in the attack at Flerbaix (sic), I saw him go down from m.g. fire, which killed him instantly.' Note on file: 'No trace Germany[.] Cert. by Capt. Mills 10.10.19.' Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal |
| Sources | NAA: B2455, BAINES Charles Vincent
Red Cross file 190205 |