Sergeant Major William Bailey

[harribobs]

Has anyone got any details of Sergeant Major William Bailey the recruiting sergeant for Oldham, he served with the Manchesters for approx. 40 years and fought in the Boer War. Unfortunately, we do not know his service number.

please see the post in great war section on his sons

[harribobs]

[sphinx]

As a member of the 6th VB he served in the 3rd Volunteer Service Company in S. Africa as Col. Sgt. 2833.
They joined the 2nd Bn. Manchester Regt. at Harrismith on 4.8.1901.
He earned the QSA with clasps Cape Colony / Orange Free State / S.Africa 1901 / S. Africa 1902.

regards

[tisgrannie]

harribob what a fabulous photo! it tells a wonderful story! Love it.
tisgrannie

[iain]

Following on from Simon's information, Bailey joined the 6VB in Jan 1897, he was transffered from 4th Manchesters. He was the battalions Drill Instructor. As Simon said, he went to South Africa as part of the 3rd VSC, along with Cpl David and 5 privates from the 6VB. The 3rd VSC was mainly made of men from the 1st, 2nd , 3rd & 4th VBs. He was a good shot and he won the Clegg challenge in 1900.
I do have some more information on him and will dig it out and post later.

Iain

[bailey]

Tisgrannie    the photograph is my great great uncle and the cadet is his eldest son Charles William who went to India with the regiment aged 13 - the dog is called Millie.        John

[bailey]

iain  the info is amazing, any more would be wonderful, all information is relayed to William Baileys Grandson who lives in Rhode Island, USA.  William did go to the States for 2 years and worked as somebodys butler would you believe but he didnt like it and came home again.  thanks   John

[sphinx]

As Simon said, he went to South Africa as part of the 3rd VSC, along with Cpl David and 5 privates from the 6VB. The 3rd VSC was mainly made of men from the 1st, 2nd , 3rd & 4th VBs.

Note for Iain,

Col.Sgt. Bailey served in the 3rd VSC with 6 Privates from the 6th VB, namely Privates Byron, Collins, Davies, Goodwin, Smith and Wolstencroft.  There was no Cpl. David.
The Coy was made up of all 6 VB's.

regards

[Robert Bonner]

All this interest in Wm Bailey is of great interest. He is is shown in the roll of the 3rd Volunteer Service Company which is included in my forthcoming book The Manchester Regiment and its Volunteer Service Companies in the Boer War  This is currently at proof stage but as so much information is being unearthed about WB I will include a paragraph about him and his sons in the section of biographies. However a little more detail is required please.  He is mentioned as having served in the Regiment for 40 years.  Presumably this was Volunteer and Territorial service?  As time is running short I will be grateful for as much accurate detail as possible.

Robert

[sphinx]

Robert,

He would have been a Regular Soldier not a Volunteer.
He would have transfered as Permanent Staff Sgt. Instructor to the 6th VB at the end of his service.

Iain actually says he transfered from the 4th Bn. in 1897.  The 4th at that time was a Militia Bn, so he may have served in the Militia as an Instructor also.

regards

[bailey]

I'm loving all this info. Until a few months ago we only knew that my G.Grandmothers brother had three sons who were killed in the war, now we know their names, where they fell, how they are commemorated, what they looked like, their regimental numbers and what their dog was called! -  I can hardly believe it and I thank the people who are posting all this information from the bottom of my heart    John

[themonsstar]

There are 49 Bailey's service records in WO96=Militia Attestation records, 10 of them are to William Bailey's

[iain]

Hi all,  seems like you have been busy whilst I have been away.

My appoligies to Simon you are correct there was no Cpl David in the 3VSC, I misstyped!. There was a Cpl Davies. In fact he went out to South Africa as a drummer and came back as a Cpl.

It mentions in a newspaper article that W Bailey was a bit of an old campaigner and had already served out in South Africa in 1881 but does not say with which regiment.

A little snippet for you with respect to William Bailey:

On 19th Dec 1901 Sgt Bailey and his companions left Harrismith and proceeded in the direction of Baautoland to work in conjunction with De Lisle's and other columns. Whilst crossing the drift he had a mishap slipping down on a stone, getting a ducking in the river, cutting his knee, and worst of all, nearly loosing a cabbage which he had carried for no less than three days, waiting for an opportunity of cooking it. After a scramble, however, in the swiftly running water he managed to recover it. On the following day he was compelled owing to the injured knee to ride in a waggon from which he lost a favourite stick which had helped him on many a long march.

I would be intrested in using the photograph of William Bailey in my planned book, would that be possible?, and if so is it possible to get a very good scanned copy of the photograph?

[harribobs]

excellent stuff Iain !

[bailey]

iain,   with snippets of information like that it would be churlish to not let you use the photograph, it has been e-mailed from America so I will ask Ken (Williams Grandson) if you can use it and if he can scan it any clearer, he may be able to take it from the frame - thanks a million for the details on William. With regard to the photo, it is of his son Charles William who went to India aged 13 we believe, can you tell me what he would have done in India at the age?   thanks   John