John Herbert Bailey
The soldier:
John Herbert Bailey enlisted in Dereham, Norfolk. He was assigned to the Norfolk Regiment and given regimental number 241138. He served in its 1st and 5th battalions.
He was killed in action in Palastine, at the age of 39, on the 2nd November 1917.
He is buried in Gaza war Cemetery in grave XXIV C2.
John Herbert Bailey is commemorated on Snettisham’s ‘Roll of Honour’ and its two memorials.
The man:
John Herbert Bailey was born on the 26th June 1878 in Sedgeford, Norfolk. His parents were John (33) and Hanna (25). He was baptised on the 6th October, 1878 in Sedgeford.
John’s brother, Robert James was born on the 1st January 1880, in Sedgeford.
By 1881, his family had moved the short distance to Snettisham. Here they remained settled for the next ten years. Both John Herbert and Robert attended Snettisham school (still the local primary school).
In 1893, when he was 14, John Herbert’s younger brother Herbert was born.
On the 10th August, 1900 John Herbert Bailey (22) married Maud Matilda Dizman (22) in St. Mary’s church, Snettisham.
In 1901, John Herbert and Maud lived at Malt House Yard, Snettisham.
John Herbert’s brother, Herbert, died this year, at the age of 8.
In 1902, Maud gave birth to the first of her and John Herbert’s children, Edna Maud.
In1903, John Herbert’s father, John passed away at the age of 58.
Over the next few years Maud gave birth to more children in Snettisham; Ada Constance (1903), Stanley (1905), Seaman Charles (1907), Jack (1907) and Carrie (1911). Edna, Ada, Stanley and Jack all went to Snettisham School.
However, tragedy befell the family and Seaman Charles died in 1908 at less than a year old.
By the 1911 census, the entire family were residing at Sunnyside Cottages, Snettisham. John Herbert’s occupation is listed as ‘cellarman’.
When he died on the 2nd November 1917 at the age of 39, John Herbert Bailey left his wife, Maud with five children.
The two youngest, Stanley and Jack were still at Snettisham school at the time and records show they left the village on the 10th December 1917 with their mother for Briston.
Maud died in 1925 at the age of 46.
photographs:
John Herbert Bailey in uniform
John Herbert and Maud Bailey’s family c.1914
from left to right; Jack, Maud, Ada (back), Carrie (front), Edna and Stanley
