John “Skip” Bailey

3.4
Percy Herbert Bailey

Percy, a son of Francis Andrew Bailey, was involved in a dramatic rescue of two men on Rottnest Island which is off the coast of Fremantle W.A. on 18th February 1910.

The two men, George Moysey and Tom Hemmant, in their 30’s, were from Subiaco, Perth. They were at “The Basin”, a swimming cove on the coast of Rottnest Island, when they got into difficulties. Percy was having a work picnic with his employer, the Lands Department, saw them in the water and successively rescued Hemmant but nearly drowned when Moysey struggled while being brought ashore. Percy was awarded a Bronze Medal for his part in the rescue.

In 1917, during World War 1, he joined the A.I.F. (Australian Imperial Force) at Blackboy Hill, near Northam W.A. and was shipped to England on the “Miltiades” on 29th January 1917. He was the Acting Company Sergeant Major of One Company on the voyage to England.

Percy Herbert Bailey

Percy served in France, was wounded and repatriated to Australia in 1918 with lumbago.