Born in Yarnbrook, near Trowbridge, Wiltshire.
Enlisted at Cork on the 27th of November 1854.
He had previously served in the Somerset Militia from the 24th of October 1854. Regimental No. 1356.
Age: 22.
Height: 5' 7".
Trade: Labourer.
Appearance: Fresh complexion. Hazel eyes. Brown hair.
Joined the regiment in the Crimea on the 16th of July 1855.
Embarked for India from Cork on the 8th of October 1857 aboard the S.S. "Great Britain."
Re-engaged for 12 years further service at Aldershot on the 26th of December 1866.
The musters for July-September of 1858 show him as "On Detachment to Sholapoore" during the whole of this period,
Served in action against the rebels at Zeerapore on the 29th of December 1858 and at Baroda on the 1st of January 1859.
Discharged from Hounslow on the 10th of December 1878, "At own request after 24 years service."
Served 24 years 11 days. In Turkey and the Crimea, 10 months. In India, 7 years 8 months.
Conduct and character: "good".
In possession of four Good Conduct badges.
Six times entered in the Regimental Defaulters' Book.
Never tried by Court-martial.
Next of kin: Wife, Joan Bailey. She is shown on the Regimental "Married roll" from the 30th of January 1864.
Aged 46 years on discharge.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasp for Sebastopol, and the Turkish medal.
Mutiny medal without clasp.
To live at Shawcastle Cottage. Whitcombe, Bath on discharge.
The 1881 Census showsa man of this name, aged 48 years, a widower born at Trowbridge, Wiltshire, living at No 1 Ashman Place, Lyncombe and Widcombe Parish, Somerset, a General Labourer, with a stepson, James Clark, aged 18, born at Bath, also a General Labourer.
Died in Burnham, Somerset, 24th of January 1910.
From the "White Lancer", April 1910:
"Yet another Crimean and Mutiny veteran has passed away. 1373 William Bailey, 17th Lancers, died at his home in Burnham, Somerset, at the end of January."
Extract from the "Burnham Gazette" for the 5th of February 1910:
"Death of a Crimean Veteran — On Friday evening (the 24th of January) one of the few remaining Crimean veterans died in Burnham. Mr. Bailey was born in August of 1830 in the village of Yarnbrook, near Trowbridge, Wiltshire.
On November 27th 1854 he joined the 17th Lancers, the celebrated regiment known as the 'Death or Glory Boys', and whose badge is a skull and cross-bones. Rather a gruesome badge, but in many a hard fight on the field of battle the men who served in it have shown that they are imbued with its spirit and few of our cavalry organisations have a more glorious record than this noted regiment.
In the year 1854 the Crimean War was in progress and the young soldier was soon sent to join the regiment, serving through the latter stages of the campaign until the fall of Sebastopol.
From the Crimea he was sent to take part in another desperate conflict — the Indian Mutiny, when the bravery, skill, grit and determination of our men was tested against tremendous odds and vindictive foes. He remained in India for eight and a half years, when the regiment was ordered home.
He took his discharge after 24 years' service, with a well-earned pension. Sixteen years ago he came from Bath and took up abode in a little cottage on the left of Stodder's Lane, Mid Burnham, where he resided until last November when he went to live with his step-daughter Mrs. H.J. King.
The old veteran's closing days were spent in comfort. Although he had been in poor health most of the time he had been at No. 27 Adam Street he was able to vote in the recent parliamentary elections. The cause of death was 'Bronchial, and heart failure'.
He had reached the age of 79 years and was in possession of the Crimean medal with clasp for Sebastopol, the Turkish medal and the Indian Mutiny medal. He leaves a wife, but no children.
He was very much respected by all who knew him and whilst in the Army he was awarded five good-conduct stripes. He received a first-class discharge and his officers, Colonel Drury-Lowe and Captain William Benson, had both spoken of him in the highest terms.
The funeral took place on Wednesday afternoon amid general evidences of esteem. The Union Jack served as a pall and he was carried to the grave by neighbours who knew and respected him. The services in the church and at the grave-side were conducted by the Revd. H. Kerr-Thompson." [A list of mourners and wreath-senders follows.]