a lifelong pacifist and vegetarian, he registered as a conscientious objector in june 1939, prior to world war ii, and volunteered to join a group of some 200 cos sailing to jersey in may 1940 to work on the tomato and potato harvests. the impending german invasion of the channel islands led to the return of half of the cos, including val baker. he became secretary of a pacifist community, youth house, in camden town. and carried out rescue work in london during the blitz.