Kenora Great War Project

 

Personal Details
Date of BirthMay 1, 1880
Place of BirthBoundary
CountryEngland
Marital StatusSingle
Next of KinThomas Bailey, Boundary, England
Trade / Callinglabourer
ReligionCongregationalist
Service Details
Regimental Number198275
Service RecordLink to Service Record
Battalion16th Battalion
ForceCanadian Expeditionary Force
BranchCanadian Infantry
Enlisted / ConscriptedEnlisted
Address at Enlistment3rd St S, Kenora On
Date of EnlistmentNovember 15, 1915
Age at Enlistment35
Theatre of ServiceEurope
Prisoner of WarNo
Survived WarYes
Death Details
Date of DeathJuly 24, 1952
Age at Death72
Buried AtAshby de la Zouch Cemetery, Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire, England
Plot5-313

Bailey, William

According to his attestation papers William Bailey was born on 01 May 1880 in Boundary, Leicestershire, England. His father was Thomas Bailey. By 1911 William was living in Kenora, Ontario, Canada working as a labourer. The census records that he came to Canada in 1905.

On 15 November 1915, William enlisted with the 94th battalion in Kenora. He trained here until May of 1916 when his unit traveled to Port Arthur by train. William and the 94th embarked from Halifax on 28 June 1916 aboard the S.S. Olympic. When he arrived in England he was transferred to the 17th Reserve Battalion. By 27 August 1916 William was in France with the 16th Battalion. He became ill at the beginning of October and was returned to hospitals in England. Upon his discharge from hospital on 07 November 1916 William was moved to the Canadian Casualty Assembly Centre. He didn’t make it back to the 16th Battalion in France until 25 April 1917.

On 15 September 1917 William was ‘dangerously wounded’ by an exploding shell at Lens. He suffered a cerebral concussion that left him unconscious for three weeks. He had a fracture at the base of his skull and wounds to his left leg. William was returned to England and spent 9 months in 5 hospitals. On 03 June 1918 he was invalided to Canada for further medical treatment. His official discharge from the army came of 15 July 1918 when he was classified as being medically unfit for further service. His return to Kenora was noted in the local newspaper, the Miner and News.

At some point William returned to England and on 24 July 1952 he died of cancer in Cottage Hospital, Ashby de la Zouch, England. His sister, Mrs. Broadhurst, of Boundary, England was listed as his next of kin.

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