John “Skip” Bailey

3.2
Francis Andrew Lewis Bailey

The first son of Francis Andrew Bailey, Francis Andrew Lewis Bailey, had moved to Queensland by 1899 and was involved in a business centered around incandescent gas burners.

Frank Bailey in Queensland

About eighteen months later he was the first Bailey to go to war when he enlisted and went to fight in the Second Boer War which was fought in South Africa between October 1899 to May 1902. The first Boer War was fought between December 1880 and March 1881.

Frank joined the 3rd Victorian Bushmen’s contingent and was given a regimental number of 520. His occupation was given as a stockman and his next of kin was given as c/o Dr. Embling of Hawthorn, Victoria. No relationship could be found between Frank and Dr. Embling.

As with other members of his regiment, he was mentioned in the nominal roll for the contingent:

Nominal Roll of Victorian Bushmen’s Contingent

The Bushmen sailed for South Africa on 10th March 1900 aboard the “Euryalus”.

The “Euryalus” Leaving Victoria, Australia for South Africa [13]

Francis Andrew was also mentioned in a Victoria newspaper article of those being aboard the “Euryalus”.

The Bushmen force consisted of only 276 men and their horses and equipment. They fought in several actions and suffered a few casualties. A description was written about the raising of the Bushmen and the action they saw.

Whilst in South Africa, Francis Andrew married Charlotte Carter on 1st May 1901.

Francis Andrew Lewis marries Charlotte Carter in South Africa in 1901 [14]

The Bushmen returned to Australia aboard the “Morayshire” and arrived in Melbourne on 6th June 1901.

It is not known if Francis and Charlotte returned to Australia after the war but they did live in England for some time and had three children between 1907 and 1910.

However, Francis was in trouble with the law in 1908 when he appeared in a court in Westen-super-Mare, Somerset, on 16th September, charged with three charges of “obtaining money by false pretences” in that he passed three cheques with the intent to defraud. He was sentenced to 14 days hard labour at Shepton Mallet and a bond of £20 and to be on good behaviour for 12 months. At the time he gave his occupation as a Veterinary Surgeon.

Prisoner’s for trial

In the Census of England and Wales in 1911, she and the children were residing in Hertfordshire but Francis was not on the census papers.

England and Wales Census 1911 [15]

Francis joined the British Army at Woolwich, on 16th December 1914 and gave his previous occupation as a Veterinary Surgeon and was listed as being in the II Remount Depot Corps. He specifically asked to become a farrier in the Army and was given the rank of a farrier Sergeant Major. His next-of-kin was noted as being C. E. Bailey, c/o P. H. Bailey (Percy Herbert), Lands and Survey Dept, Perth, Western Australia.

Page two of his record of service showed he was moved to Dublin but deserted his unit on 28th January 1915. Nothing can be found as to the consequences of his desertion.

------------------------------
[13] Australian War Memorial
[14] Find My Past
[15] Find My Past