Stand easy HIGH ON THE HILL. Your duty is done BRO RIFLEMAN, sleep tight.
Brother Riflemen
A Plea for Help!
For Leon Bakers Funeral Saturday 22nd October 2011
It is hoped that a Wake can be arranged for after Leons funeral. It would be a great gesture to Leons family if we were to hold the wake in the Rifles / Royal Green Jackets TA Centre in West Ham Park.
However owing to the financial difficulties on Leons family, we are pleading to all brother Riflemen, to assist with the costs of hiring a Regimental Bugler to sound the Last Post at the Funeral and for the use of the bar at the TA Centre for the wake afterwards.
It would be a great opportunity for us, his regimental family, to meet and indeed support his mother, sister and brother in celebrating the happy memories of Leon, which we shared during our time in the Royal Green Jackets.
The estimated cost is approx £400
A donation of £10 from each of us should hopefully cover these costs. To be blunt, we only have 10 days in which to raise this money. Any money left over will be used to assist the family with the costs of the funeral.
We have asked that Leons brother Omar be the person to coordinate the donations. He has opened a special bank account for the donations to be banked.
HSBC
Account No 51691104
Sort Code400316
Or send a cheque made payable to:Omar Shane Baker
And send it to:50, Lyme Farm Road, Lee, London SE12 8JH
hi my name is lynne,long standing friend of leons,and yes he has sadly passed away last friday,battled so long and hard with diabeties,he his now free of pain,so proud to call him both my ex boyfriend but more so my friend for 24 yrs.and my thoughts are with tracy his girlfriend and his family.xxxx
my family send condolences to your family i still fill the pains from the beasting in the gym but now there is a harder pain to bear that of your passing. good night leon god bless dont give them to mutch of a beasting up there.
I spoke with Leon on Thursday at approximately 17:50hrs, I informed him that Vincent Oliver (aka Ollie) Mick Howell and I were coming to see him on Saturday 3rd September to take him out of lunch and a few good old laughs and a general catch up as, he was going through a busy period in his life with his diabetes.
He was as ever jovial on the phone and was looking forward to meeting up.
We were ringing him from early morning all the way till lunchtime not been able to contact him.
It was at approximately 14:00hrs we received a call from his younger brother Omar informing us that Leon had passed away at approximately 23:43hrs on Friday 2nd September in hospital.
Further news as of last night is that Leon had passed away peacefully after the long battle with diabetics and he had a bloodclot which burst and bleed excessively.
Leon, my friend I have nothing but fond memories of you you were and always will be a true friend your sense of humour your care free attitude and your zest for life top quality.
Lynne the person you are after is Bluey Edmunds, he worked in the officers mess unforunatley, I do not have a contact number for him maybe someone else may know his details or his whereabouts.
we are trying to raise money for leons funeral to help his family give him the send off he deserves,so i am pleaing to all u who served with leon,and all ex army can u please help us either contact vere hodge or myself or will pass on omar bakers num on to you (leons brother.) his funeral is on october the 22nd,all help will be gratefuly recieved.thank you lynne.xx
Sorry to hear about Leon, I used to see him in Dartford and Crayford and chat about times in Minden. I served with Bluey (Simon Edmunds) on and off for 12 years he left the Army in the early nineties and I believe he now lives in the Philippines