James BAILEY MM

BAILEY , James

Service Number: 2123
Enlisted: Not yet discovered
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 13th Infantry Battalion
Born: London, England, 1891
Home Town: Not yet discovered
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Electrical Mechanic
Died: 22 September 1964, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered
Cemetery: Newcastle Memorial Park, Beresfield, New South Wales
Memorials:
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World War 1 Service

14 Jun 1915: Involvement Private, 2123, 13th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '11' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Wandilla embarkation_ship_number: A62 public_note: ''
14 Jun 1915: Embarked Private, 2123, 13th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Wandilla, Sydney
18 Sep 1917: Honoured Military Medal

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Biography contributed by Glenunga International High School

James Bailey enlisted for World War 1 on the 17th of May, 1915, in Liverpool, New South Wales. He was born in 1891 in London, England making him 24 years old when he enlisted. Prior to the war, he worked as an Electrical Mechanic with his religion being Church of England. When he enlisted he was put in the 13th Battalion, then transferred to the 1st Field Artillery Brigade. His battalion joined with the 14th, 15th, and 16th and became the 4th Brigade.

They embarked in Late December 1914. They made a brief stop in Albany, Western Australia then continued on to Egypt, arriving in early February 1915. As Australia already had soldiers there they became part of the New Zealand and Australia Division. The 4th brigade then left Egypt and sailed to ANZAC Cove, arriving on the 25th of April, 1915. While at ANZAC Cove they had a lot of involvement in defending the front line and in August they attacked Hill 971. Then retreating from ANZAC Cove they returned to Egypt, where the 4th Brigade was split but James was kept in the 4th Brigade who combined the 12th and 13th to form the 4th Australian Division.

They fought for a while in Egypt then split back into the original battalions meaning James went back to the 13th, who sailed to France and the Western Front. Where they stayed taking part in Trench Warfare, while they were at the Western Front James was awarded a Military Medal and he returned to Australia on the 15th of April, 1918. Upon his arrival back in Australia he continued his life in Australia until he passed away on the 22nd of September,  1964. He was buried in Newcastle Memorial Park Cemetery & Crematorium.

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