Captian Robert Edward Hartwell BAILY CBE
H Company, 1/1st Herefordshire Regiment attached to the Sudan Political Service

Date of birth: 6th June 1885
Date of death: 19th September 1973

Died aged 88
Unknown
Robert "Robin" Edward Hartwell Baily was born at "Thornbury", Whyteleafe, Surrey on the 6th of June 1885 the eldest son of Edward Peter Baily, Headmaster of Hazelwood School, and Ruth (nee Bourne) Baily of Hazelwood School.

He was educated Hazelwood School until July 1895 where he was a member of the Cricket XI in 1895. He went on to Fonthill School and then to Elstree School where he was Head of School and Captain of both the Cricket and Football XIs. He moved to Harrow School where he was in Mr Davidson's House from April 1899 until July 1904. He was a member of the Cricket XI from 1901 to 1904, scoring 45 at Lords on his debut there in his first season. He was Captain of Cricket in 1903 and 1904 and was appointed as a School Monitor in 1903. He was a member of the Football XI in 1903 and 1904. Later in 1904 he went on to Pembroke College Cambridge where he rowed for his college in the 2nd Boat in 1905 and played cricket for the Cambridge University XI from 1905 to 1908, being Captain in 1907 and obtaining his Blue in 1908. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Cambridge University Volunteer Rifle Corps on the 20th of December 1905. He achieved a First Class BA degree in Arabic on the 29th of October 1908.

He played county cricket for Surrey County Cricket Club as wicketkeeper and scored 825 first class runs at an average of 16.83 as well as taking 37 catches and 12 stumpings during his career.

On leaving university he joined the Sudanese Political Service at Khartoum in October 1909, becoming Inspector of the Shendi District based at Kassala, but returned home in 1910 with heart trouble. He returned to the Sudan later that year, and from 1911 to 1915 he served at Shendi as 2nd Political Inspector in Berber Province.

He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 1st Battalion, Herefordshire Regiment on the 2nd of March 1911 and was posted to H Company based at Hereford. He was promoted to Lieutenant on the 9th of February 1913. The battalion was mobilised on the 5th of August 1914 having volunteered for overseas service. On the same day, Robert Baily was seconded for duty with the Sudan Civil Service.

He served as 2nd Political Inspector for Shendi in Sennar Province from 1915 to 1920. He was promoted to Captain on the 14th of May 1917 with precedence as from the 1st of June 1916.

He was mentioned in despatches for: -
Went on to Harrow School

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