Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Athol BAYLY 1910-1978 - 7th Division Cavalry Regiment

Athol 'Ned' Bayly was born in Glenn Innes in northern New South Wales on the 10th December 1910.

Married to Ursula, he enlisted at Toowoomba in Queensland on the 30th June 1940.

Ned undertook initial training at Redbank Depot from 08/08/1940. Later he attended a Mechanical course at the Ford Motor Coy Brisbane and was promoted Corporal on 19 December 1940, immediately prior to embarking for overseas service, with the 7th Division Cavalry Regiment (a motorised unit).

Ned embarked with his unit on the Queen Mary (aka "the Grey Ghost") in Darling Harbour Sydney, after travelling by train from Brisbane on 27th December 1940.

The convoy arrived in Egypt on 17/02/41. Ned attended a Gunnery course, but was injured and evacuated to a Field Ambulance with 2nd degree burns.  He returned to the unit on 10/01/42.  He travelled from Suez by train via Ismaillia, Kantara, El Arish, Gaza.  Ned finally arrived at camp in Dimra, Palestine.

After Japan entered the War, the Australian Govenment sought the immediate return of the 6th and 7th Divisions to defend Australia.  Ned returned to Australia 24/03/1942 on the ship Penrith Castle, part of large convoy, the exposure of which to attack by Japanese naval forces in the Indian Ocean was a constant worry to the government until they arrived safely home.

The 7th Division regrouped was reinforced and retrained prior to Embarking.  In Ned's case he Embarked from Brisbane on the troop ship "Nordnes" to Port Moresby on 15 September 1942. 

The 7th Division was rushed into action to relieve the Militia defenders who had held the Japanese at bay in a fighting withdrawal.

Arduous training marches were undertaken to acclimatise the newly arrived troops. Around 14/12/42 the Regiment was flown to  flown to Popondetta and then on to the Sananda track at the Huggins roadblock where the Japanese army were making a final stand.

Unlike the Middle East campaign, Ned's unit went straight into the action. Intense fighting took place on 19/12/42 when Ned's troop of 12 men was cut off behind enemy lines for a time.

Further actions followed, up to 30/01/43 when Ned was evacuated to Port Moresby with malaria.

He then spent time in various hospitals there and was finally transferred by air to Townsville. He spent a total of 10 months in various hospitals and was finally discharged from Hospital 03/01/1943.  He served in various service units until he was discharged medically unfit on 04/11/1944.

James Bayly  - January 2020