Bailey, Robert Prior

No.6722 – Private Robert Prior Bailey – 16^th Battalion

Robert Prior Bailey was born in Parramatta NSW in 1886 to Henry and Ellen Bailey. He had several siblings, born in NSW and WA. Robert initially went to school in Parramatta but after his family moved to Western Australia, they took up residence in Fremantle where Robert also attended school. The family moved from central Fremantle to what was then the bush/ farming outskirts at Jandakot. Robert took up working in the Mill Trade where he was a Sawyer.

He enlisted into the AIF on the 5^th June 1916 and the medical examiner passed him as fit. He was found to be 5 feet 8 & ½ inches in height; weight of 172 lbs; chest measurement of 37-39 inches; fresh complexion; grey eyes & brown hair. His religious denomination was Church of England.

Robert was initially sent to No.76 Depot then attached to the 22^nd Reinforcements to the 16^th Battalion AIF. He left Fremantle on the 9^th November 1916 aboard the “Argyllshire”. He arrived in England at Devonport on the 10^th January 1917 and marched into the 4^th Training Battalion at Codford on the Salisbury Plains. Robert would spend the next five months in England training for service on the Western Front. He left England on the 3^rd May 1917 and was taken on strength of the 16^th Battalion on the 7^th May 1917. The previous month the 16^th Battalion had suffered huge casualties at Bullecourt so there were many gaps to fill. Robert served at Messines in June 1917 and the 16^th Battalion were still in the Messines area when Robert was wounded on the 5^th August 1917. He rejoined the battalion on the 1^st October 1917 when they were in the vicinity of Passchendaele. However, his time back with the battalion was only about five weeks when he was sent to hospital sick. He spent much of November and all of December in hospital, only arriving back to the 16^th Battalion on the 10^th January 1918. He had a period of leave to England in February and returned on the 1^st March 1918. Later that month the Germans launched their March offensive and the 4^th Division was sent to the Somme. Along with the New Zealanders, the 4^th Brigade were positioned around the vital area of Hebuterne where they succeeded in repelling the Germans. Robert served through April, May & June, being involved in the July 4^th attack that successfully captured Hamel. In the 16^th Battalion’s next large attack on August 8^th 1918, Robert was killed in action. Unfortunately, his body was never recovered and so he is commemorated on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial.