Notes
William Hugh Bailey was born on 16 May 1911 in Penrith, Cumberland, the third son of Jessie (née Purves) and Richard Bailey, a book keeper in an estate office. He attended Worksop College, and was then Assistant Master at King William’s College on the Isle of Man before entering Worcester College, Oxford on 9 October 1931, aged 20. William Bailey achieved 4th class honours in French and Spanish in 1934. After graduating he taught at Wolverhampton Grammar School.
William Bailey was commissioned as a Sub Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve on 26 June 1942 and was posted to HM Trawler Rysa. On 8 December 1943 HM Trawler Rysa was mine sweeping off the Sardinian coast near the Maddalena archipelago in order to keep sea lanes open for supply ships supporting the Allied campaign in Italy. During the operation the ship struck a mine, which exploded killing nineteen of the crew, including Lieutenant William Bailey. He was 32 years old.
William Bailey is commemorated on the Lowestoft Naval Memorial, and on the war memorial at Worcester College, Oxford.