John “Skip” Bailey

A Summary of His Life

John Pretty Bailey was born in Boulder W.A. in 1912. When he enlisted into the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) he stated he had attended a school called Idelphonsus College in New Norcia, Western Australia (W.A.), a primary school in Claremont W.A. and then Aquinas College in Perth W.A. (He actually attended the Christian Brothers College, Adelaide Terrace, Perth, which was moved to Salters Point W.A. and renamed Aquinas College in 1938). After attending these schools, he worked as a clerk for the State Treasury and then he studied at an institution in Kalgoorlie W.A. to become a miner after graduation. He was also a member of the 28th Battalion army militia for a number of years when he was working.

However, during his studies to become a miner, he enlisted in the RAAF, six months before the start of World War 2 in Europe. He saw active service in World War 2 in New Guinea, was captured by the Japanese , imprisoned and then executed.

Seven years after his death, RAAF searchers found his body and he was laid to rest in a cemetery near Rabaul, Papua New Guinea.