Arthur Rofe BAILEY

BAILEY, Arthur Rofe

Service Number: 4461
Enlisted: Not yet discovered
Last Rank: Staff Sergeant
Last Unit: Australian Army Pay Corps (AMF)
Born: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1 August 1887
Home Town: Sydney, City of Sydney, New South Wales
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Accountant
Died: Myocardial infarction, Coronary atherosclerosis , Rose Bay, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 11 July 1974, aged 86 years
Cemetery: Waverley Cemetery, Bronte, New South Wales
General Lawn Cemetery
Memorials:
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World War 1 Service

3 Feb 1916: Involvement Private, 4461, 4th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '8' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Wandilla embarkation_ship_number: A62 public_note: ''
3 Feb 1916: Embarked Private, 4461, 4th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Wandilla, Sydney
3 Feb 1916: Embarked AIF WW1, Corporal, 4461, 4th Infantry Battalion, Disembarked Suez 7th March 1916. Reverted to Private on arrival.
4 Apr 1916: Promoted AIF WW1, Private, Appointed Instructor at the 1st Brigade Grenade School, Tel-el-Kebir
9 Jun 1916: Embarked AIF WW1, Corporal, 4461, Embarked for Overseas from Alexandria. Disembarked England, 17th June 1916
29 Jul 1916: Transferred AIF WW1, Australian Army Pay Corps (AMF), Transferred to the Australian Army Pay Corps, Perham Downs
1 Sep 1916: Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, Australian Army Pay Corps (AMF)
1 Feb 1917: Promoted AIF WW1, Sergeant, Australian Army Pay Corps (AMF), Promoted E.R. Sergeant, London
1 Sep 1919: Promoted AIF WW1, Staff Sergeant, Australian Army Pay Corps (AMF), Promoted E.R. Staff Sergeant, London
31 Aug 1920: Embarked AIF WW1, Staff Sergeant, 4461, Australian Army Pay Corps (AMF), Embarked for Return To Australia from London. Disembarked Sydney 24th October 1920
24 Jan 1921: Discharged AIF WW1, Staff Sergeant, 4461, Australian Army Pay Corps (AMF)

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Biography contributed by Sally McKenzie

Arthur Rofe Bailey was born on the 1st August 1887 in Sydney New South Wales Australia. At the time of his birth Arthur’s father Charles Bailey was listed as an ironmonger. However Charles went on to be a dentist who died prematurely at the age of 43 leaving Arthur aged 17 and his siblings Ethel, Leslie and Hilda aged 15, 13 and 11 respectively to assist their mother Adelaide Mary Bailey nee Ridgway with living expenses. One of their successful endeavours was making homemade jam and selling it. Family lore amongst subsequent generations is that Adelaide took over Charles’ business and became a dentist herself.

Arthur’s great grandparents, John and Mary Ridgway (nee Willoughby) married in Nash Buckinghamshire England in 1857 and arrived in Australia the same year. They settled in the Picton area, N.S.W. and had 10 children, including Arthur’s mother Adelaide.

In 1913 Arthur’s mother Adelaide and Arthur, who was an accountant when he signed up, were living in Dulwich Hill Sydney. The following year WW1 broke out and Arthur enlisted on the 30th August 1915. His sister Ethel enlisted as a nurse 2 months before Arthur on the 3rd June 1915 and brother Leslie was to enlist on the 2nd March 1917.  

On both Arthur and Ethel’s enlistment papers they give their Next of Kin as their mother Adelaide Mary Bailey and her address as Pacific Cable Board Southport Queensland and Cable Station Southport Queensland respectively. Subsequent references have assumed that Arthur’s mother Adelaide was a long-term resident of Queensland. However, although it is unclear the involvement Adelaide 51 years at the time had with the Pacific Cable Board, by 1920 she was back living in her native N.S.W. When the A.I.F. sent a telegram to Adelaide in 1920 advising that Arthur would ‘probably arrive in Melbourne 6th October 1920’, Adelaide had left Southport and was again residing in Sydney. Arthur was transported from England on the ship Wahehe and arrived back in Sydney Australia on the 25th October 1920. He was discharged from service 24th January 1921.

Arthur was 28 years and 1 month when he enlisted. His recorded weight was 132 pounds, he stood 5 feet 7 inches, he had a dark complexion, hazel eyes and brown hair. Arthur spent the majority of his war service stationed in England with the Australian Army Pay Corps. Ironically he was initially sent to Perham Downs, a twelve minute drive from Andover, where his grandmother Mary Ridgway nee Willoughby came from. Mary arrived in Australia in 1857 - 58 years earlier than when Arthur left Australian shores to serve his country.

Arthur’s service during WW1 was not on the field. His talents were utilised in the Australian Army Paying Corps. The AAPC was established in September 1914 and served in all theatres of WW1.

Perhaps it was while he was stationed in England that he met his future wife, Eugenia Peers nee Wragg who arrived in Sydney in 1921. Eugenia, a widow at the time of their marriage, came from Shirley Warwickshire England. Arthur and Eugenia married April 15th 1921 in the Holy Trinity Church Surrey Hills Melbourne.

The couple settled in Arthur’s hometown of Sydney. Arthur and Eugenia had a son Peter Bailey, who, like his grandparents before him, was to become a dentist. By 1933 Arthur was living in Eulalie Street (later Nulla Street) Vaucluse Sydney N.S.W. He lists his occupation on the Electoral Roll as ‘merchant’. Arthur was to establish Arthur Bailey Surgico Pty Ltd. In 2023, the company is still operating 10 decades on. The company are suppliers of medical, surgical, scientific, temperature and mobility equipment.

Like many Australians Arthur enlisted not knowing where his future would lead him. Arthur was my great uncle and I honour his committed service to Australia during the uncertain and volatile times of war.

Sally McKenzie
May 2023

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