Bailey John

BAILEY, JOHN PERCIVAL

		Source
		CWGC	SDGW	Uttoxeter Advertiser	Other
Parents	George Bailey, Fradswell, Staffordshire		Yes		10b
Where born
When born	Abt April 1877				11
Address	3 Silver Street, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire				10a
Address	Uttoxeter		Yes
Spouse
Children
Employment Before Joining up	Waggoner				10a
Where Enlisted	Lichfield, Staffordshire		Yes		10a 10b
Regiment	North Staffordshire (Prince of Wales’s) Regiment	Yes	Yes		6b 10a
Unit	Xth Bn 1st -3rd June 1915				10b
	3rd Bn 4th -12th Sept 1915				10b
	7th Bn 13th Sept 1015	Yes	Yes
Rank	Private				6b 10a 10b 10c
Service Number	17645				6b 10a 10c
Date of Death	25th Jan 1917				6b 10b
Age at time of death	Abt 30yrs 9mths	Yes	Yes		12
Where Killed or died	Mesopotamia (Iraq)		Yes
How he died	Killed in Action		Yes		10b
Location of Grave or Memorial	Amara War Cemetery (Iraq) – Grave XVII. B. 12.	Yes			6b
Awards
Awards

John joined the Army at Lichfield on 31st May 1915. His Attestation form tells us that he was 28 years and 1 month old and was living at 3 Silver Street, Uttoxeter. He gave is occupation as Waggoner and signed-up for the duration of the war.

A modern-day view of Silver Street, where John was living at the time of enlistment

John’s enlistment records say that he was 5ft 2 inches tall and had a chest measurement of 34-36 inches.

Initially he served as 17645, Private in the Xth Battalion (the original document is difficult to read) of the North Staffordshire Regiment before being transferred to the 3rd battalion of the same regiment on 4th June 1915.

He was transferred again, this time to 7th Battalion of the North Staffordshire Regiment on 13th September 1915.

John’s Service Attestation Form carries the annotation, “For transfer to Driver in A.S.C. under W.O. letter Gen. No. 27/A.G. 2b/4253/3rd May”. Whilst this transfer would have made a lot of sense, given that his occupation in civilian life had been as a Waggoner, it does not appear to have come about.

He embarked for service in Iraq from Port Said on 21st February 1916 and disembarked at Basra on 10th March 1916.

On the 9th of April 1916 he was wounded in action with a gunshot wound to the shoulder in Mesopotamia.

On 20th April 1916 he was transferred to hospital in Basra10c and then, on 6th June 1916 he joined the B* A* Section at Amara (the original document is very difficult to decipher). He re-joined his battalion at Amara on 10th June 1916.

On the 1st January 1917 he was ‘Admitted (NYD)’ at Basra.

John was killed in Action In The Field on 25th January 1917. He was about 30 years and 9 months old.

John is buried in the Amara War Cemetery in Iraq:

Photo: Commonwealth War Graves Commission