John Arthur BAILEY

BAILEY, John Arthur

Service Number: 1115
Enlisted: Not yet discovered
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 10th Infantry Battalion
Born: Japan, March 1876
Home Town: Not yet discovered
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Builder
Died: 24 September 1931, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered
Cemetery: AIF Cemetery, West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide, South Australia
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World War 1 Service

27 Dec 1914: Involvement Private, 1115, 10th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Themistocles embarkation_ship_number: A32 public_note: ''
27 Dec 1914: Embarked Private, 1115, 10th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Themistocles, Melbourne

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Biography contributed by Saint Ignatius' College

John Arthur Bailey was a solider that fought in the first World War. He was born in around March of 1876, in Nagatsu Japan, to the parish of Naga Satu, but later moved to live at 2 Penalula Place, Adelaide, South Australia, where he lived with his wife, Emily Alice Bailey, née Davis who was also his next of kin. Bailey was a natural born British subject and before enlisting he worked as a builder.

Bailey enlisted for the war on the 7th of September 1914 at the age of 38 and a half, and embarked exactly 3 months later on the 7th of December 1914, from Melbourne Victoria. Bailey embarked abord the HMAT Themistocles, with the 10th battalion, 1st reinforcement at the rank of private to fight at Gallipoli.

On the 3rd of May, 2015 Bailey was admitted to the hospital with a shrapnel wound to his foot. He was admitted to a hospital in Cairo, before he was transferred to a convalescent. After in hospital for 16 days, on the 29th of May, Baileys injuries were more serious than original thought, so he was transferred to a larger medical camp in Helouan, Egypt, where he was better treated. Later Bailey was declared fit for duty and then re-joined his battalion at Gallipoli. Bailey was admitted to the hospital many other times for things such as being sick with things like diarrhoea, dysentery, and haemorrhoids. Bailey also contracted trench foot on the 2nd December 1916.

On the 28th of December 1915, Bailey went A.W.L (absent without leave). He was away for three days, before returning on the 30th of December 1915. Because of this he was punished with 72 hours of detention, and a deduction of six days of pay. This was not the only time Bailey went absent without leave frome 25th of February 1916 for 28 days. 

Bailey's unit was moved to participate in the fighting on the Western Front France on 30th July 1917. Bailey was admitted to hospital sick on the 20th November 1916 an was discharged on the 14th December 1916. He returned to his unit and on the 25th of December 1917 Bailey was wounded by shrapnel to the face and mouth and was sent to hospital in England for treatment.

Bailey commenced his return to Australia abord HT ‘Carpentaria’ on the 8th of August 1918, and was then discharged on 21st of October 1918, as he was deemed ‘medically unfit’ with a gunshot wound to the face.

For his efforts in the war, Bailey received three war medals. He received the 1914-1915 star which was awarded to those who served in France and Belgium between the 5th of August and the 22nd of November 1914, the British war medal, which was received by men of British imperial forces for their acts of service, and the victory medal which thanked those for their participation in the war.

John Arthur Bailey died on the 24th of September 1931 at the age of 54, the cause of which is unknown. In total, he served for 4 years and 43 days, and served 3 years and 282 days of those aboard. Bailey is buried in the AIF cemetery on West Terrance in Adelaide, South Australia.

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