Personal Details | |
Date of Birth | May 1, 1880 |
Place of Birth | Boundary |
Country | England |
Marital Status | Single |
Next of Kin | Thomas Bailey, Boundary, England |
Trade / Calling | labourer |
Religion | Congregationalist |
Service Details | |
Regimental Number | 198275 |
Service Record | Link to Service Record |
Battalion | 16th Battalion |
Force | Canadian Expeditionary Force |
Branch | Canadian Infantry |
Enlisted / Conscripted | Enlisted |
Address at Enlistment | 3rd St S, Kenora On |
Date of Enlistment | November 15, 1915 |
Age at Enlistment | 35 |
Theatre of Service | Europe |
Prisoner of War | No |
Survived War | Yes |
Death Details | |
Date of Death | July 24, 1952 |
Age at Death | 72 |
Buried At | Ashby de la Zouch Cemetery, Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire, England |
Plot | 5-313 |
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.