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Pilot Officer ALFRED BAILEY, R.A.F.
40976, Pilot Officer, Royal Air Force Age 26 Died 1.8.1940
Pilot Officer, ALFRED BAILEY, Royal Air Force, 26 years of age, was serving with No 22 Squadron based at RAF Gosport, was engaged in flying a Vickers Vildebeeste aircraft on 1st of August 1940, with him were 977714 Aircraftsman Class 2 E.S Budd and a civilian scientist named H. Dawson. The aircraft, K 6408 was part of the Torpedo Development Flight, was scheduled to drop a torpedo on the range off Stokes Bay and then return to the airfield at Gosport less than a mile away. P/O Bailey approached the range, adjusting his altitude for the optimum height of 50 feet above the waves. Observers on Ryde Pier noted that the aircraft's nose suddenly dipped, whether as a result of the gusty wind is not known but, with no height to recover, the Vildebeeste crashed into the sea.
As with all torpedo drops, the range was policed by various support boats. These boats immediately went to the aid of the sinking aircraft. A/C2
Rudd was rescued from the sea and although badly injured, after hospitalisation he recovered. A/C2 Rudd was the only member the aircraft's crew to survive. The civilian scientist and Pilot Officer
Alfred Bailey were dragged to the seabed with the aircraft, and were not recovered until the 4 days later. The wreckage of the machine was located by divers, and hauled to the surface. The bodies of the
two unfortunate men were at last recovered from the mangled when the salvage vessel moored up at Priddys Hard.
P/O Alfred Bailey, R.A.F., was buried on the 7th of August 1939, and is laid to rest in the War Graves Section (see plans on back pages), Row 1
Grave 6, and is commemorated by a CWG headstone. (Mr H. Dawson was buried at his hometown of Bradford, Yorkshire.
Private SIDNEY GEORGE BAILEY 766735, ‘D’ Company, Devonshire Regiment Age 35 Son of Alfred and Clara Bailey, husband of
Vera, both of Gosport. Died 31.1.1943
This tragic death is best explained by the newspaper report published in the Hants Telegraph dated 12th February 1943, page 3:
Gosport Man Shot Dead A Gosport Soldier and a comrade were killed when a rifle was discharged in the guard—room at a camp in the
southwest on Sunday .1st January1943. They were Private Sidney George Bailey (35), of 3 Lee Road, Gosport, and L/Cpl, Evan George Sugden (29), of 39, Church Road, Torquay both of them married. At the
inquest held at P1 Plymouth today week a verdict of “Accidental Death” was returned in each case.
It was stated that the tragedy occurred on Saturday night January 30th soon after the men had come off guard duty. Comrades were in the
guard—room playing cards. Private Leonard George Hunt told the Coroner that in cleaning his rifle after coming off guard duty let a cartridge enter the breach, and it went off. Pte William
Frederick Weymouth stated that he saw Hunt pick up an oily rag and wipe his rifle with it. Two or three seconds later there was the report of a gunshot. Everything was happy and normal in the hut before
the accident, and Hunt and two men who were shot were pals.
Private SIDNEY GEORGE BAILEY, was brought back: to Gosport, he was buried with service honours, on Friday 9th February 1943, and is laid to rest
Plot 62, Space 53, and his final resting place is commemorated by a CWG headstone.
Private FRANK CHARLES BALL 5350134 Private, Pioneer Corps Age 25 Died 30.1.1945
Private FRANK CHARLES BALL. of 25 Dolman Rd, Gosport, was the son of Frank and Anna H. Ball. He passed away on Tuesday 30th January 1945, at
Preston Hall Sanatorium, Aylesford, Kent. Cause tuberculosis. He was buried on Monday 5th of February 1945, and is laid to rest, Plot 34, Space 54, and his final resting place, is commemorated by a
Family Memorial.
Mrs VIOLET ROSEALEA BARNARD - Miss JEAN BARNARD Miss SHIRLEY BARNARD 155 Grove Road, Gosport. Age 34, 14, 9 Died 3.5.41
Petty Officer LENOX SCOTT, R.N. - Mrs EMILY SCOTT Miss ISOBEL SCOTT
157 Grove Road, Gosport. Age 34,35,8 Died 3.5.41
An air raid on the night of Saturday 3rd of May 1941, totally destroyed the houses of 155 and 157 Grove Road, Gosport. Rescuers worked hard
through the early hours of the night in an attempt to find any possible survivors, their endeavours were rewarded when 11 year old Rosemary Barnard was found alive, she was badly injured and was taken to
Basingstoke Neurological Hospital. She was the only to be found alive, her mother, VIOLET ROSEALEA BARNARD (34), wife of Alexander, and their children JEAN (14) and SHIRLEY (9) of No.155 Grove Road. And
Petty Officer LENOX SCOTT (34) a Sick Bay P.O. service number P/M 36548, his wife EMILY (35) and daughter ISOBEL (8) of No.157 Grove Road, Gosport, were found to have been killed. Lenox Scot, was the son
of Gibson Fairweather and Margaret Storrier Scott
A family pet dog was recovered, alas also dead, a caring Air Raid Warden respectfu1ly buried the deceased animal, but it had to be reburied the
next night, when an unexploded bomb detonated and the body of the dog was blown out of its grave.
The funeral of all those killed, took place on Friday 9th of May 1941 at Ann’s Hill Cemetery, Gosport. Mrs Violet Rosealea Barnard
and her daughters Jean and Shirley, are laid to rest, Plot 165, Space 68, a6d they are commemorated by Civilian War Grave headstone.
Lenox Scott his wife Emily and daughter Isobel are laid to rest in the War brave Section, (See plan on back pages), Row 3,
Grave 3, and they are commemorated by a CWG headstone.
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