The Men

The Men

Sunday 19 January 2014

* Private Albert Henry Bailey


Source: The Pals of Suvla Bay by Henry Hanna
Albert Henry Bailey was born in Dublin in 1885, the youngest son of Alexander and Anna Bailey, and someone who
crisscrossed the globe during his short life.
He was a pupil of The High School Dublin in 1893, when he was living at 20 Grafton Street, Dublin. At the time of the 1901 census, he was living with his family in Clontarf, but by 1911, he had already left home.

Records show that 21 year old Albert H. Bailey, from Clontarf, traveled unaccompanied, on the S.S. Celtic, leaving Liverpool, on the 19th March, 1908 - just after St. Patrick's Day-  and arriving at  New York, on March 30th.   His destination was Tampa Florida, where he stayed until 30th November 1908.

A further record shows that he then spent some time in Toronto, Canada, spending Christmas 1908 there, but he crossed the border into America at Huron Michigan, on 13th January, 1909.  He gave his occupation as 'tourist', his home address as 'St. Elmo's, Fairview Avenue, Dublin', and named his final destination as Dublin.  However, Albert Bailey's travelling life was not yet over: he would have a number of long, sea-journeys ahead of him.  One would lead him to Auckland, in the southern hemisphere, while another would take him to a distant corner of the failing Ottoman Empire: Gallipoli.

By 1914, he was living at 'Dabriada', Milton Road, Auckland, the address he gave when he enlisted in the Auckland Mounted Rifles.  He named his mother, in Dublin, as his next of kin.  He was unmarried.
After his death, probate records give his occupation as a 'store-keeper', and his place of residence as
Whitianga, Thames-Coromandel, Waikato, New Zealand, which mirrors an  electoral role record for him in 1914.  Like so many ANZAC soldiers in 1915, Albert Bailey's journeying was not yet over and he soon found himself on another ship, heading for Turkey: his final destination.

Source: Michelle Burrowes


War Diary of the Aukland Mounted Rifle Regiment Aug 8th 1915

'Left OVERTON GULLY at 0130 and proceeded to RHODDENDRUM SPUR arrived there at 0800. Proceeded under fire to cross ridge into safety. Remained in gully until 1200 during which time several shrapnel shells struck and did damage. 11th and half the 3rd Squadrons then rushed over the crest line of the hill and reinforced firing line on CHUNUK BAIR and remainder of the 3rd and 4th Squadrons joining us at 1400. Kept enemy back with greatest difficulty (from 1800 t0 2000 had only 85 men) Relieved by OTAGO infantry at 2015. Fought all night.' Trooper Albert Henry Bailey died during this engagement.

Source: http://www.nzmr.org/wardiaries/WD_Ak1915aug.html


LAST UNIT SERVED
Auckland Mounted Rifles
PLACE OF DEATH
Gallipoli, Turkey
DATE OF DEATH
8 August 1915
YEAR OF DEATH
1915
CAUSE OF DEATH
Killed in action


Click HERE for more details
Bailey, of 74 St Lawrence Road, Dublin, Ireland. Irish Times. Bailey-August 8. 1915, killed in action in Gallipoli, Trooper Albert H Bailey, Auckland Mounted Rifle regiment, New Zealand Forces, youngest son of Mr and Mrs Bailey, 74 St Lawrence Road, Clontarf. 1 Chunuk Bair 
 ( New Zealand ) Memorial in Turkey.  
Source: Tom Burnell, war historian

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