The 1901 Census tells us that the Hilliard family was living in Port Dalhousie, Ontario.The household consisted of Head, John Baker age 30 born on 8th August 1870 of German descent. His trade appears to be Labourer. His wife Mary aged 27 was born on 11th December 1873 and was of Irish descent. The children were Barbara 9, Theresa 7, Hilliard 4, John 2, and Albert, no age given as he was born in 1901.

Ten years on  the family was living in Grantham Township, Port Dalhousie (Village) Licoln & Niagra, Ontario. There were some additions to the family. Gordon was  8, Jessie 5 and Cecil 3.

Private 3111370, Hilliard Patrick Baker was drafted into the 12th Battalion of the Canadian Infantry. (Attestation papers from the Library of Canada) He enlisted in Hamilton, Ontario on 10th August 1918 and gave his trade as Farmer. His Next of Kin was his  father,  John Baker. He claimed that he suffered from Asthma but the Medical Officer couldn’t find any symptoms.

Hilliard embarked from Quebec on 10th September 1918 on the S.S. Durham Castle and arrived in London on  25th September 1918. The Battalion was sent to Whitley Camp in Surrey and then on to Kinmel Camp in North Wales, for military training.

Unfortunately Hilliard contracted Influenza during military training and died on 24th October 1918 aged 22 years of age. The Medical Report in Hilliard’s War Record states that the cause of death was ‘Broncho Pneumonia complicated by Influenza, attributed to exposure to infection while on Military Training during the present war’.

He is buried in St. Margaret’s Cemetery, Bodelwyddan, North Wales.

Hilliard is commemorated on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial.