On the way home after the funeral service for my friend Don, a sad thought came to me. Who will remember Corporal Bailey now that Don has gone? Corporal Bailey died on the 11th of April, 1918 and played a significant role in Don and my friendship. How can that be?
In August of 2005 I had the opportunity to travel to France and Belgium and visit a number of Canadian First World War battlefields. In particular I wanted to walk the Albert-Bapaume Road, an old Roman road that runs straight as an arrow from the town of Albert to the town of Bapaume in the Picardy region of France. This particular road was the main road that British, Australian and Canadian troops took to enter the horrid trenches during the Battle of the Somme, July, 1916 to November 1916. My grandfather had walked this very road in October and November, 1916 with his 46th Canadian Infantry Battalion.
When I learned that I would be going overseas I immediately called Don to let him know
my good fortune and was there anything I could look up for him over there. His father had been with ‘C’ Battery, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery and had been wounded at the 2nd Somme in April 1918 near Amiens during the great German Offensive. Don immediately wrote back and asked if I would be anywhere near Amiens, would I find time to stop at. St. Pierre Cemetery outside of the city and find the grave of Don’s father’s friend, Corporal W.C. Bailey.
I did indeed visit Amiens and I did find Corporal Bailey’s well-tended grave in the St. Pierre cemetery. I placed a poppy on the grave, signed
the register and took several pictures for Don. I phoned Don later that night to tell him I had found Corporal Bailey and had pictures for him. He wept.
The next year Maria and I were in France and once again I took time out to visit Bailey’s grave for Don. Once again Don wept.
How could the death of Bailey play such an important role in our friendship? The story Don’s father brought back from the war was that Cpl. Bailey and himself were out-riders on one of the guns in ‘C’ Battery, and for three or four days straight Bailey had been on the left horse and Gunner Henry West on the right of the gun teams. On the morning of April 11th, Corporal Bailey suggested to Gunner West that for a break they change sides. Henry agreed. In less than an hour German guns had picked them up and laced them with shrapnel. Gunner West was wounded. Corporal Bailey was killed instantly.
I thought on the way back to our motel room from the funeral service, “Had they not changed horses, Gunner West would have died; Don would have not existed, and I would never have had such a friend.” Such are the games the fates play.
With Don now gone, who will remember Corporal Bailey? Me? Yes, but with whom?
In August of 2005 I had the opportunity to travel to France and Belgium and visit a number of Canadian First World War battlefields. In particular I wanted to walk the Albert-Bapaume Road, an old Roman road that runs straight as an arrow from the town of Albert to the town of Bapaume in the Picardy region of France. This particular road was the main road that British, Australian and Canadian troops took to enter the horrid trenches during the Battle of the Somme, July, 1916 to November 1916. My grandfather had walked this very road in October and November, 1916 with his 46th Canadian Infantry Battalion.
When I learned that I would be going overseas I immediately called Don to let him know
my good fortune and was there anything I could look up for him over there. His father had been with ‘C’ Battery, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery and had been wounded at the 2nd Somme in April 1918 near Amiens during the great German Offensive. Don immediately wrote back and asked if I would be anywhere near Amiens, would I find time to stop at. St. Pierre Cemetery outside of the city and find the grave of Don’s father’s friend, Corporal W.C. Bailey.I did indeed visit Amiens and I did find Corporal Bailey’s well-tended grave in the St. Pierre cemetery. I placed a poppy on the grave, signed
the register and took several pictures for Don. I phoned Don later that night to tell him I had found Corporal Bailey and had pictures for him. He wept.The next year Maria and I were in France and once again I took time out to visit Bailey’s grave for Don. Once again Don wept.
How could the death of Bailey play such an important role in our friendship? The story Don’s father brought back from the war was that Cpl. Bailey and himself were out-riders on one of the guns in ‘C’ Battery, and for three or four days straight Bailey had been on the left horse and Gunner Henry West on the right of the gun teams. On the morning of April 11th, Corporal Bailey suggested to Gunner West that for a break they change sides. Henry agreed. In less than an hour German guns had picked them up and laced them with shrapnel. Gunner West was wounded. Corporal Bailey was killed instantly.
I thought on the way back to our motel room from the funeral service, “Had they not changed horses, Gunner West would have died; Don would have not existed, and I would never have had such a friend.” Such are the games the fates play.
With Don now gone, who will remember Corporal Bailey? Me? Yes, but with whom?
No need to worry that Cpl. Bailey will be forgotten because I'm sure that everyone who reads this blog will now remember him.
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