John Bailey
Rank Able Seaman
Service number P Z/3513
Regiment Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
Date of death 4th February 1919
Age 24
Grave B. C.E. 1358
John Bailey was born 1895, place unknown, mother Elizabeth. At the time of Johns death the family address was 125 Ellesmere Street, Swinton. Bailey attended Holy Rood School, Swinton as a boy, before the war he sought employment at the engine sheds in Agecroft. There was an elder brother William who at the time of John's death was serving in France with a Labour Battalion.
From the Casualty Lists Of The Royal Navy And Dominion Navies, Armistice 1918 - August 1939.
BAILEY, John, Able Seaman, R.N.V.R. Z 3513 (Palace), President III, 4 February 1919, illness.
From service records - enlisted in R.N.V.R. 1st February 1917. 34 1/2 inch chest, 5ft 4 1/4 inches in height, auburn hair, hazel eyes, fresh complextion. Character very good, abilitity satisfactory. ( His enlistment year is disputed in the local paper, when he died the family mention enlistment was in 1915, which bears truth to his service records that state he had been in service for more than three years at time of death.) The same year as enlisting he sailed to Africa and saw action in the Cameroons. He made subsequent voyages aboard various ships to numerous locations around the world including, Spain, Italy, Egypt, twice to New York and four trips to Canada.
He arrived back in England on the 17th January 1919 aboard the " Heronspool".
The Heronspool was built by Ropners and Sons, Stockton in 1903, 3276 tons, 325ft long, 46ft wide, steam triple expansion engine, capable of 11 knots. In 1928 she was sold to Greece and renamed Eugenia M. Goulandri, she was scrapped in 1933.
Five days later he was transferred to hospital.
John Bailey's death was recorded in his service records as Hartlepool Hospital, cause of death Pneumonia, brought on following an attack of Malaria.
The funeral was conducted by J.E. Roberts, vicar at Holy Rood, Swinton and attended by local sailors and soldiers on leave, several of whome acted as pall bearers. Had there been a naval base in the Swinton locality he would have been accorded a full naval funeral.
Note the unusual service number : PZ/3513
From the Great War Forum.
PZ/1 - 3000 were civilians entered into the RNVR at Crystal Palace.
PZ/3001 onwards were men discharged from the RN and enrolled in the RNVR for Special Service in Defensively Equipped Merchant Ships (DEMS) on the books of HMS PRESIDENT III.
the PZ numbering could explain the discrepancy in enlistment dates, he was most probably in the Royal Navy from 1915 - 1917, then enrolled in the voluntary reserves, although on the books of the "president II" he did not stay in England, he was posted aboard ship.
HMS President was not a ship it was the accounting base for DAMS/DEMS, where pay records were maintained for those sailors serving aboard merchant shipping.
( John could be the cousin of my great great grandmother !!! )
Rank Able Seaman
Service number P Z/3513
Regiment Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
Date of death 4th February 1919
Age 24
Grave B. C.E. 1358
John Bailey was born 1895, place unknown, mother Elizabeth. At the time of Johns death the family address was 125 Ellesmere Street, Swinton. Bailey attended Holy Rood School, Swinton as a boy, before the war he sought employment at the engine sheds in Agecroft. There was an elder brother William who at the time of John's death was serving in France with a Labour Battalion.
From the Casualty Lists Of The Royal Navy And Dominion Navies, Armistice 1918 - August 1939.
BAILEY, John, Able Seaman, R.N.V.R. Z 3513 (Palace), President III, 4 February 1919, illness.
From service records - enlisted in R.N.V.R. 1st February 1917. 34 1/2 inch chest, 5ft 4 1/4 inches in height, auburn hair, hazel eyes, fresh complextion. Character very good, abilitity satisfactory. ( His enlistment year is disputed in the local paper, when he died the family mention enlistment was in 1915, which bears truth to his service records that state he had been in service for more than three years at time of death.) The same year as enlisting he sailed to Africa and saw action in the Cameroons. He made subsequent voyages aboard various ships to numerous locations around the world including, Spain, Italy, Egypt, twice to New York and four trips to Canada.
He arrived back in England on the 17th January 1919 aboard the " Heronspool".
The Heronspool was built by Ropners and Sons, Stockton in 1903, 3276 tons, 325ft long, 46ft wide, steam triple expansion engine, capable of 11 knots. In 1928 she was sold to Greece and renamed Eugenia M. Goulandri, she was scrapped in 1933.
Five days later he was transferred to hospital.
John Bailey's death was recorded in his service records as Hartlepool Hospital, cause of death Pneumonia, brought on following an attack of Malaria.
The funeral was conducted by J.E. Roberts, vicar at Holy Rood, Swinton and attended by local sailors and soldiers on leave, several of whome acted as pall bearers. Had there been a naval base in the Swinton locality he would have been accorded a full naval funeral.
Note the unusual service number : PZ/3513
From the Great War Forum.
PZ/1 - 3000 were civilians entered into the RNVR at Crystal Palace.
PZ/3001 onwards were men discharged from the RN and enrolled in the RNVR for Special Service in Defensively Equipped Merchant Ships (DEMS) on the books of HMS PRESIDENT III.
the PZ numbering could explain the discrepancy in enlistment dates, he was most probably in the Royal Navy from 1915 - 1917, then enrolled in the voluntary reserves, although on the books of the "president II" he did not stay in England, he was posted aboard ship.
HMS President was not a ship it was the accounting base for DAMS/DEMS, where pay records were maintained for those sailors serving aboard merchant shipping.
( John could be the cousin of my great great grandmother !!! )
© Susan Tydd
Please do not reproduce without permission
Please do not reproduce without permission