SAPPER RICHARD PATRICK BAILLIE
41 – Aust Electrical & Mechanical Mining & Boring Company
Richard Patrick Baillie was born in Otago, Roxburgh, New Zealand on 8 July 1878, the son of Thomson Barclay and Mary (Stewart) Baillie.
The Baillie family moved from New Zealand to Tasmania and Richard served his bricklayer apprenticeship for three years with J&L Gunn Ltd, Launceston. Before moving to Stanthorpe to go tin mining, he worked as a draper at Mark Foy's Department store in Sydney
He married on July 24, 1906 to Gertrude Cecelia O’Connell in Stanthorpe, Queensland and they were residing there in 1908 with his occupation of labourer.
At the recruiting depot in Warwick, Qld on November 15, 1915 he enlisted for active service abroad passing the medical examination. Attestation Forms were completed which reveal he was 169cms (5ft 6½ins) tall, weighed 62.7kgs (138lbs) with a chest expansion of 84-89cms (33-35ins). Complexion was dark with hazel eyes and had black hair. The eye test was passed with good vision and religion was Roman Catholic.
Next-of-kin was his wife Mrs Gertrude Baillie of Stanthorpe, Qld and allotted three-fifths of his pay to support her and their children. He was sworn in the same day.
After basic training in Brisbane, Qld was sent to the Mining Corps’ camp at Casula, near Liverpool, NSW and assigned to the No. 1 Company of the Mining Corps. His rank was Sapper with the regimental number 41.
At a civic parade in the Domain, Sydney on Saturday February 19, 1916, a large crowd of relations and friends of the departing Miners lined the four sides of the parade ground.
Sixty police and 100 Garrison Military Police were on hand to keep the crowds within bounds. The scene was an inspiriting one. On the extreme right flank, facing the saluting base, were companies of the Rifle Club School; next came a detachment of the 4th King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, then the bands of the Light Horse, Liverpool Depot, and the Miners’ on the left, rank upon rank, the Miners’ Battalion.
The Corps boarded HMAT A38 Ulysses in Sydney, NSW on February 20 and sailed for the European theatre.
Arriving in Melbourne, Victoria on February 22 the Miners camped at Broadmeadows for a stay of 7 days while further cargo was loaded.
Another parade was held at the Broadmeadows camp on March 1, the Miners’ Corps being inspected by the Governor-General, as Commander-in-Chief of the Commonwealth military forces.
Leaving Melbourne on March 1, Ulysses arrived at Fremantle, Western Australia on March 7 where a further 53 members were taken on board.
On Wednesday March 8, 1916 the whole force, with their band and equipment, paraded at Fremantle prior to leaving Victoria Quay at 9.30 o’clock.
The ship hit a reef when leaving Fremantle harbour, stripping the plates for 40 feet and, although there was a gap in the outside plate, the inner bilge plates were not punctured. The men on board nicknamed her ‘Useless’. The Miners were off-loaded and sent to the Blackboy Hill Camp where further training was conducted.
The Mining Corps comprised 1303 members at the time they embarked with a Headquarters of 40; No.1 Company – 390; No.2 Company – 380; No.3 Company – 392, and 101 members of the 1st Reinforcements.
Finally departing Fremantle on April 1, Ulysses voyaged via Suez, Port Said and Alexandria in Egypt. The Captain of the shipwas reluctantto take Ulysses out of the Suez Canal because he felt the weight of the ship made it impossible to manoeuvre in the situation of a submarine attack. The troops were transhipped to HM Transport B.1 Ansonia, then on to Valetta, Malta before disembarking at Marseilles, France on May 5, 1916. As a unit they entrained at Marseilles on May 7 and detrained on May 11 at Hazebrouck.
A ‘Mining Corps’ did not fit in the British Expeditionary Force, and the Corps was disbanded and three Australian Tunnelling Companies were formed. The Technical Staff of the Corps Headquarters, plus some technically qualified men from the individual companies, was formed into the entirely new Australian Electrical and Mechanical Mining and Boring Company (AEMMBC), better known as the ‘Alphabetical Company’.
Richard was fined ten shillings on May 25, 1916 by Captain Macrae and after an investigation it was thought he had been fined for drunkenness.
The No.1 Company became the 1st Australian Tunnelling Company in the field.
With his civil qualifications of bricklayer Richard Baillie would be more beneficial to the work of the AEMMBC and he was therefore transferred and taken on strength with the company on September 30, 1916.
His service continued without any incidents or sickness and he was issued for twelve months service abroad with Blue Chevrons to wear on his uniform. Each blue Service Chevron denoted one year’s service from 1 January 1915. A red Chevron denoted service before 31 December 1914.
In an audit of the company he was reported to be with the unit on March 23, 1918. He was paid in France on May 16, 1918.
On November 10, 1918 he reported sick and was admitted to the 12th Stationary Hospital with Influenza. The following day Peace was declared. Richard remained in hospital until he returned to duty on November 24.
Leave to the United Kingdom was granted from December 9 to December 23, 1918.
The AEMMBC remained on the front continuing to generate electricity and supply and service small engines and pumps to assist those rehabilitating their areas. The AEMMBC, with a strength of little more than 300 men, was employed along the entire Western Front providing lighting and ventilation to dugouts and boring for water supplies where needed. They worked with all 5 Armies of the British Expeditionary Force.
Orders were received to prepare for demobilisation on February 12, 1919 and report to the Aust General Base Depot. The men left on February 12, 1919 and crossed the English Channel marching into the 1st Training Brigade camp at Sutton Veny the next day.
A Kit Inspection was taken on March 24, 1919 at Sutton Veny and he was issued with these items after Overseas Service:
Hair brush, Greatcoat, Dungaree Jacket and Trousers, Flannel shirt, two pairs woollen socks, Towel, Chin strap, two Collar badges and two Australia titles and a comforter cap.
Items withdrawn from his kit were:
Fork, Knife & Spoon.
Sapper Baillie embarked for Australia as an invalid on the H.T. Khyber on March 31, 1919. Next-of-kin was advised by Base Records on April 24, 1919 that he was on his way home.
His name was listed among the returning soldiers published in:
The Khyber draft of 1679, consisting of 214 West Australians, 139 South Australians, 449 Victorians, 73 Tasmanians, 543 New South Welshmen, and 261 Queenslanders, left Sutton Veny, England on 30th March, 1919, arriving at Liverpool the following day. Khyber sailed from Liverpool at 8 a.m. on 1st April, and reached Port Said at 11 a.m. on 10th April. Left Port Said on afternoon of 11th April, passing through Suez Canal the same night. Arrived at Colombo on the morning of 22nd April, and departed at 6 p.m. the following day. Sighted Fremantle at 10 a.m. on 3rd May, and left for Adelaide at 4 p.m. on 4th May, arriving at the latter port at 8 a.m. on 9th May. Departed from Adelaide at 7 p.m. on 10th May, and entered Port Phillip Heads on morning of 12th May. Left the same morning for Sydney, arriving there on 14th May 1919.
The ship docked in Brisbane (1st M.D.) on May 18, 1919. Its arrival and welcome was reported in:
106 of those on board Khyber were from the Australian Tunnelling Companies.
Military Discharge was issued in Brisbane (1st M.D.) on July 5, 1919 on termination of his period of enlistment.
The British War Medal (12113) and the Victory Medal (11954) were issued to Sapper 41 Richard Patrick Baillie, Aust Electrical & Mechanical Mining & Boring Company for serving his country.
He returned to Stanthorpe and Richard and Gertrude are listed in the township in the 1925 Electoral Roll, Richards’ occupation recorded as a miner.
Richard Patrick Baillie died on March 20, 1929 aged 51 years. He is buried in Texas, Queensland.
A Statement of his Service was requested by the Repatriation Commission in Brisbane which was forwarded on March 22, 1929 from Base Records.
Gertrude Cecilia Baillie, nee O’Connell, died on 26 August 1932 in Queensland.
Richard’s brother William also served in WW1.
PRIVATE WILLIAM BAILLIE
3452 – 51st Battalion
Born in Dunedin, New Zealand, William enlisted at Claremont, Tasmania on 9 August 1915. A medical examination at the Hobart Town Hall on 5 August had found him ‘fit for active service’.
28-years old and a Stonemason by trade, he named his mother, Mrs. Mary Baillie of 225 Harrington Street, Hobart, Tasmania as his Next-of-Kin.
He embarked at Melbourne, Victoria on 10 November 1915 with the 11th Reinforcements to the 12th Infantry Battalion on board HMAT A11 Ascanius.
The Embarkation Roll records his address as 225 Harrington Street, and his Next-of-Kin as wife, Mrs. O.E. Baillie of the same address.
William was admitted to No.4 Auxiliary Hospital at Cairo on 16 January 1916 with mumps. He was discharged to duty on 4 February and was taken on strength of the 12th Battalion on 3 March 1916 at Zeitoun. He was allotted to the 52nd Battalion and proceeded to join that unit at Tel-el-Kebir.
He left Alexandria on 5 June on board Ivernia to join the British Expeditionary Force in France, disembarking at Marseilles on 12 June.
William was wounded in action (gassed) on 16 October 1917 and evacuated to England on board St Andrew. Admitted to Brook War Hospital, Woolwich on 27 October 1917 with ‘bronchitis from gas shell’. On 28 December he was transferred to the 3rd Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford. He was discharged to No.3 Command Depot, Hurdcott on 31 December.
He was medically classified B1A1 on 2 January 1918 and marched out to the Overseas Training Brigade at Longbridge-Deverill on 20 February.
Proceeded overseas to France on 20 March 1918 and marched in to the 4th Australian Infantry Base Depot at Havre on 21 March, rejoining his 52nd Battalion on 5 April 1918
William was transferred to the 51st Battalion on 16 May and was taken on strength of that unit.
Wounded in action (2nd occasion) on 13 August 1918 and invalided to England on and was treated at the 53rd Casualty Clearing Station. He was transferred to the 5th General Hospital at Rouen on 16 August and on 17 August he was evacuated to England on Hospital Ship West Australia and admitted to War Hospital, Reading, with gun shot wounds to right arm and back.
William was awarded the Military Medal, the award being promulgated in the London Gazette of 13 September 1918.
On 29 August he was transferred to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield, and then to the Littlemore Camp, Weymouth, on 3 September. He was transferred to No.2 Command Depot and then on 23 October to No.1 Command Depot, Sutton Veny.
William left London on 12 December 1918 on board Nestor for return to Australia. Disembarking at Melbourne on 1 February 1919, he proceeded to the Broadmeadows camp awaiting transport to Tasmania.
On 14 February 1919 his Next-of-Kin, Mrs. M. Baillie and Mrs. O. E. Baillie, were both advised separately of William being awarded the Military Medal.
On 19 March the Medical Board Proceedings concerning William was forwarded from Anglesea Barracks, Tasmania to Base Records, Melbourne.
Discharged in Tasmania on 11 April 1919 as ‘medically unfit’ William was entitled to wear the Military Medal, 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
His Military Medal was sent to the Commandant, 6th Military District, on 4 June 1919. William received the British War Medal on 23 August 1921, and the Victory Medal 24 August 1923
William’s military and medical records were provided to the Repatriation Commission, Hobart in August 1938.
William Baillie died in Hobart in 1959.
© Donna Baldey 2013
www.tunnellers.net
with the assistance of Jim Adamson, grandson of Richard Baillie.
All photos courtesy Jim Adamson