Frederick BAYLEE

BAYLEE, Frederick

Service Number: 3322
Enlisted: Not yet discovered
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 4th Pioneer Battalion
Born: Ballarat, Victoria, Australia, date not yet discovered
Home Town: Tarcoola, South Australia
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Miner
Died: Circumstances of death not yet discovered
Cemetery: West Terrace Cemetery (AIF Section)
Section: LO, Road: 9N, Site No: 0A
Memorials: Kingoonya & Tarcoola Honour Roll
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World War 1 Service

27 Oct 1915: Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 3322, 10th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Benalla, Adelaide
26 Feb 1916: Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 50th Infantry Battalion
16 Mar 1916: Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 4th Pioneer Battalion
6 Feb 1917: Embarked AIF WW1, 4th Pioneer Battalion, Hellenic Ship, England
1 Sep 1917: Wounded AIF WW1, 3322, 2nd Birmingham War Hospital myalgia
2 Nov 1917: Embarked AIF WW1, To France ex Sutton Veny
5 Apr 1919: Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 4th Pioneer Battalion

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Biography contributed by St Ignatius' College

Frederick was born in Ballarat, Victoria, sometime around March in 1877. Upon filling in his attestation paper, Baylee was 38 years and 5 months old. He worked as a miner in Tarcoola, South Australia. He was unmarried so he had no children, and his chosen next-of-kin was his sister, Louie Baylee. She lived in Melbourne, Victoria. Frederick belonged to the Church of England.

Frederick enlisted in the 10th Battalion 11th reinforcement in August 1915. He was a Private under the service number 3322A.

His ship embarked on October 27, 1915. The following month, Frederick’s Battalion were being progressively pulled back from the frontlines to rest at Lemnos. The soldiers stayed there for the rest of November and December. On Boxing Day that year, the Battalion sailed for Egypt, arriving in Alexandria on December 29.

Frederick would soon be transferred to the 50th Infantry Battalion on February 26, 1916. The Battalion’s first embarkation would be to France on June 11 that same year. Due to his transfer to the newly-established 4th Pioneer Battalion halfway through the following month March 16, 1916, Frederick did not participate in Mouquet Farm.

The group only stayed in this sector for a short time before being sent to Pozières, Somme to replace the 2nd Division. Their main purpose was to assist the defence during the final phase of the Battle of Pozières. On the 22nd of January 1917, Frederick was sent to a hospital sick. He would be later admitted to the 2nd Birmingham War Hospital on February 1 for myalgia treatment. 5 days later, Frederick embarked on a Hellenic ship headed for England.

Major battles of the battalion during Frederick’s service period include: the Battle of Bullecourt (April 9 – May 16), the Battle of Messines (7-14 June) and the Third Battle of Ypres (July to November). Sometime during/after the Battle of Ypres (November 2), Frederick proceeded overseas to France from Sutton Veny. On the 13th of November, he rejoined the 11th Reinforcement. Yet again, he was sent to a hospital sick just 4 months after rejoining. He only took around a week to recover before being sent back to the unit. While in France,  he was reported missing on 7 February 1918. This was only a temporary case as he managed to return to Australia from England on 5 April 1919.

During Frederick’s service in the 4th Pioneer Battalion at an unspecified date, he was discovered to be a prisoner of war in German hands.



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