Private John Leslie Bailey
- Rank
- Private
- Service number
- 2629
- Unit
- 51 Battalion
- Cause of death
- Killed in Action
- Place of death
- Villers Bretonneux, France
- Date of death
- 25 April 1918
- Age
- 21
- Plaque number
- M581A
- Co-located plaques
- M581 - PTE Edward Brenton-Coward
- Dedicated by
- Niece on 20 November 2010
- More information
Biography presented during plaque dedication:
Private John Leslie Bailey of 51 Battalion AIF preferred to be called Les. He was born on 3 of January 1897 at White Gum Valley to John and Esther Bailey of South Guildford, who later moved to Albion Street, Cottesloe.
Educated at Guildford state school he joined the Senior school cadets of 89a whom he served with until joining the Australian Imperial Forice on 16 June 1916.
He marched in on 19 June to 74 Depot before joining up with the other recruits at Blackboy Hill Military Camp for initial training.
It was October 1916 before John, now a part of 6 Reinforcements of 51 Batallion, embarked on the Suffolk out of Fremantle and bound for England and disembarked at Plymouth.
A little over three weeks later he sailed aboard the SS Princess Victoria for France where he was taken on strength by 51 Battalion on 9 January 1917.
In August John, like thousands of others at the front, became ill and he was hospitalised after which he went back to 51 Battalion before proceeding on 14 days leave to England, re-joining his Battalion on 2 February 1918.
Private John Leslie Bailey, service number 2629, was killed in action at Villers Bretonneux on Anzac Day, 25 April 1918. He was 21 years of age.