Private George Valentine Bourne BAILY (1010233)
46th Battalion Canadian Infantry (South Saskatchewan)

Date of birth: 30th March 1888
Date of death: 10th October 1939

Died aged 51
Buried at Tupsley Churchyard, Herefordshire
George Valentine Bourne Baily was born at Warlingham on the 30th of March 1888 the second son of Edward Peter Baily, the future headmaster of Hazelwood School, and his wife, Ruth (nee Bourne) Baily of 12, Cardinal Mansions, Carlyle Place, Westminster in London. He was born with a hair lip which was operated on in 1890 and the scar was covered by a moustache in later life.

He was educated at Hazelwood School until December 1901 where he was a member of the Choir. On leaving he school the school magazine wrote of him: - "...takes his fiddle to Bradfield. He has for some years been a useful member of the school orchestra."

He went on to Bradfield College from January 1902 until December 1905 where he served in the Officer Training Corps.

He moved to Canada and by the spring of 1913 he was working as a poultry farmer at Strongfield in Saskatchewan.

He enlisted into the army at Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan as Private 1010233 in the 226th Overseas Battalion Canadian Infantry on the 23rd of October 1916. At a medical examination, which took place on the same day, it was recorded that he was five feet ten and a quarter inches tall and that he weighed 160lbs. It was also recorded that he had blue eyes, dark brown hair and a dark complexion. On the 6th of March 1917 he was admitted to hospital with a mild case of diphtheria and returned to duty on the 1st of April.

He embarked for overseas service at Halifax on board the SS “Northland” on the 17th of April 1917 and landed at Liverpool on the 29th of April 1917. He transferred to the 19th Reserve Battalion, based at Bramshott in Hampshire the following day. He was posted to the 46th Battalion Canadian Infantry and embarked for France on the 9th of September 1917 and joined his battalion in the field the following day.

Following an attack by the Australians and new Zealanders at Passchendaele on the 12th of October 1917 it was decided to renew the assault using the 3rd and 4th Canadian Divisions on the 26th of October 1917. The 46th Battalion Canadian Infantry was assigned the task of holding a frontage of one thousand four hundred yards along the front line and to advance some six hundred yards along the Passchendaele Ridge. The condition of the ground was extremely poor and the enemy positions were strengthened by numerous strong points with support from field guns from behind the Ridge. The battalion entered the line on the 22nd of October where they were initially in support of the 50th Battalion. At 6pm pm on the 25th of October 1917 the battalion began to assemble for the attack which was scheduled for 5.40am the next morning. By 9pm all was ready with the men sheltering in shell holes to wait for first light. At 5.40am the British artillery barrage began and the 46th Battalion went into the attack. Before long a stream of walking wounded passed through the British lines, mostly caused by short firing rounds from their own artillery. Meanwhile the attack had gone well with the enemy positions of Decline Copse and the Passchendaele Road having fallen with a number of prisoners being taken although casualties were high. At 4pm the enemy launched a heavy counterattack in order to recover their lost positions and forced the Canadians to concede most of their earlier gains. A further attack to recover the ground was considered but with casualties so high it was decided to consolidate the battalion’s gains and they were relieved by the 47th Battalion during the evening. Casualties for the attack had been two officers killed and eleven officers wounded with fifty one other ranks killed and two hundred and seventy six wounded and sixty two wounded. George Baily was among the wounded having been struck by shrapnel in the left eye and was evacuated to 83 General Hospital at Boulogne the next day. He was posted to a convalescent depot on the 28th of October and was discharged to No. 3 Rest Camp on the 30th of October. He re-joined his battalion in the field on the 23rd of November 1917.

On the 14th of August 1918 the battalion moved to the Lequesmel area to the east of Amiens with the move being completed by 3.30pm. The morning of the 15th of August was spent reorganising the battalion which had received around one hundred and fifty reinforcements two days previously. While this was being arranged the battalion transport lines came under enemy shelling which killed two men and wounded eight others. Privates McDougall and O’Brien were praised for their work in attending to the wounded and all were evacuated promptly. George Baily was among the casualties being severely wounded in the right arm by shrapnel.

He was evacuated to the rear by the 11th Canadian Field Ambulance and was admitted to 47 Casualty Clearing Station later the same day where it was noted that there were no fractures detected and that his pulse was weaker in his right arm than in his left. He was admitted to No. 1 Australian General Hospital at Rouen on the 16th of August and was evacuated from France on board the Auxiliary Transport “Western Australia” on the 17th of August. He was admitted to Reading War Hospital on the 18th of August 1918. He was discharged from Reading and was admitted to the Convalescent Hospital at Epsom on the 5th of December 1918 where he was accommodated in Ward 1/B in Hut 18. He was discharged on the 5th of February 1919.

Following his convalescence he returned to Canada for discharge because the government there offered to retrain him due to the damage to his hand and offered him a pension if treatment proved unsuccessful. He was admitted to No. 5 Canadian General Hospital at Kirkdale near Liverpool on the 2nd of April 1919 and was discharged on the 5th of May when he embarked for Canada on board the SS “Essequibo” and landed at Portland on the 17th of May.

He reported to Saskatchewan Military Hospital and a report on his condition dated the 22nd of May 1919 stated that:-

“1 ½” vertical operative scar centre anterior right upper arm – point of removal of piece of shrapnel. Small round scar upper 1/3rd of arm posterior – internal surface, point of entry of piece of shrapnel. No atrophy of right upper arm or forearm, slight atrophy right wrist. Impaired sensation right index and middle finger palinar surface. Only, also small area palm. Movements at wrist practically normal. Movements of fingers, flexing stiff slow, been flexes all fingers to palm actively. Can hyper extend fingers actively; also and abduct. Power of right index finger impaired 40%. Right middle finger 15% - others normal. Power in right thumb reduced about 20-35%, handgrip reduced accordingly. History: wounded at Amiens Aug 15 1918. Lesion of median nerve, no solution of conformity, no suture. Massage and electrical treatment, England, 4 months massage 4 months electrical.”

He was granted leave from the 22nd of May to the 5th of June 1919 when he returned to the hospital and was accommodated in bed 20 in B Ward. A further report dated the 7th of July 1919 noted: - “Power in right thumb reduced 30%, also that of right index finger. Impaired sensation palm surface right index- otherwise normal. Recommendation - discharge from service”. He was discharged from the service at No. 12 District Depot, Regina on the 10th of July 1919 due to being medically unfit due to his wounds and was entitled to wear two gold casualty stripes.

He regained the use of his hand and returned to England in 1920. In 1921, he went into the poultry business and lived at Hinwick in Bedfordshire until the 1930s when he lived with his parents at Beech Cottage, Limpsfield and later at 114 Church Road, Hereford. In 1939, on the outbreak of the Second World War, he enlisted in the A.R.P. where he acted as Colonel Liddle’s messenger. He had continued to suffer from his war injuries.
Went on to Bradfield College

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