Major Robert Horatio Roy BAYLY
Auckland Infantry Battalion NZEF
Ian Curtis
i
Pour Devoir ii
Robert Horatio Roy Bayly was born at Pukekohe, Auckland on 10 October 1880, the son of William Bray Bayly and Loveday (née Jervis). William was a farmer, born in North Tamerton, Cornwall, England in 1815. He grew up and worked in Warbstow, Cornwall until 1857, at age 42, he left Liverpool England and boarded a ship to New York, United States of America. There, later the same year, he married 15-year-old Loveday Jervis in Chicago, Illinois. In 1860, when Loveday was 18, she and William had their first child, Annie Segetia Bayly. On 17 September 1861, the Baylys left the small village of London Mills, Illinois, and travelled on the Northumberland to New Zealand, arriving on 5 October. The family settled initially in Papakura Valley, Auckland and in 1865 their second daughter, Mary Kate Bayly, was born.
William and Loveday established a farm on top of Pukekohe Hill. William took an interest in local affairs and at one time was chairman of the Road Board. They had nine more children – William Bray in 1866, Daniel Joseph in 1868, Jessie Jane in 1871, Matilda de Rose in 1873, John Ernest Archer in 1875, Violet Rebekah Revina in 1877, Robert Horatio Roy in 1880, Louis John Jervis in 1882 and Isa Myrtle Loveday in 1886. William was 71 and Loveday was 44 when their last child was born. It was not uncommon in the 19th century for children to die at a young age. Daniel, Matilda and John all passed away before Robert was ten years old.
Robert attended Pukekohe Intermediate School for four years before being enrolled at King’s (Anglican) College in Auckland. The first principal was Mr Graham Bruceiii and Robert one of the original students, 1896-1897. He then studied at Auckland University College.
On 4 April 1900, Robert’s father William Bray Bayly passed away and the following year on 25 December 1901, his mother Loveday died. William left an estate of £NZ 850. Loveday had gone to live with her daughter Mary Kate and her husband William James Comrie in Hastings. Her remains were taken back to Pukekohe for interment. Both parents are buried in the Pukekohe Cemetery.
Gravestones of William Bray Bayly, Loveday Bayly and eldest son William Bray Bayly (who passed away in 1922). (Source: Ancestry.com)
Robert qualified as a teacher with the Auckland Education Board and then decided to travel and see the world. He taught for some time in the north of England and later taught in Glasgow, Scotland, 1905-1907. Having returned to New Zealand in late 1907, he joined the staff of King’s College and was the manager of King’s College yearbook King’s Collegian for term 3 in 1907.
The school appointed him acting captain of No 3 Company College Rifle Cadet Volunteers. Robert was first commissioned on 2 December 1908 (after twelve months in an acting role, and having sat for an examination) as a captain in the King’s College Senior Cadets. On 17 March 1911, he transferred to the 15th (North Auckland) Regiment and was promoted to major in 1913, while still retaining his association with the King’s College Cadets as a company commander.
In November 1913, Robert was appointed a Special Constable when such troops (both mounted and foot) were needed to join the regular police force which descended on the Auckland wharves to capture union militants, in particular the Industrial Workers of the World known as “Wobblies”. When the specialists occupied the wharves some 6,000 workers went on strike.iv
15th (North Auckland) Company. Cap badge: Regimental number between fern-fronds within a circle with ‘Pour Devoir’ and ‘North Auckland’ and surmounted by a crown. Collar badges: Smaller version of the cap badge. Unit motto: Pour devoir (For right).
(Source: nzhistory.govt.nz)
In 1914, Robert was master in charge of the lower school at King’s College where he resided. He never married. Two of his brothers, William and Louis, remained farming the family property. His sisters Jessie, Violet and Isa were living at Milton Road, Mount Roskill.v His two older sisters had married and moved away from the area.
When war broke out in Europe in August 1914, Robert applied for a commission with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. His application states that he stood 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighed 180 pounds and was 34 years of age. He named his brother Louis as his next of kin. New Zealand was organised into four military districts under the Territorial scheme and each of the districts – Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago _ provided a battalion to form the New Zealand Infantry Brigade. The Auckland Battalion consisted of a headquarters and four companies – 3rd (Auckland) Company, 6th (Hauraki) Company, 15th (North Auckland) Company and 16th (Waikato) Company. Robert was appointed officer commanding 15th (North Auckland) Company. Another Master at King’s College, Frederick Stuckey, was appointed officer commanding 6th (Hauraki) Company. They had both been instrumental in the development and command of the college cadet unit.
Frederick Stuckey was born in Nelson on 8 April 1879 and attended Nelson College. He was a keen sportsman and champion of the college swimming and gymnastic teams. He later represented Auckland in rugby and graduated from college in 1902 with a Master of Arts. He trained as a teacher and was a master at King’s College. Like Robert, he was also single.
The battalion was formed at Epsom under the command of Englishman Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Plugge, who had immigrated to New Zealand after attending Leeds University. In Auckland, he taught science at King’s College and later was a headmaster at Dilworth Ulster Institute and served with the 3rd Auckland Regiment Territorial Force.
The officers of the North Auckland Company at Epsom Campvi.
left to right, standing: Lieutenant Norman Weir, Lieutenant Noel Steadman (King’s College 1906-07), Lieutenant Thomas Gerald Norman Screaton; sitting: Lieutenant Charles Harold McClelland (awarded DSO in 1918) Major Robert Horatio Roy Bayly, and Captain John Henry Bartlett.
Source: Sir Geoge Grey Special Collections Auckland Libraries AWNS – 19140924-50-8
At Epsom, initial training and the issuing of equipment took place. The most exciting experience was the march to Manurewa, some fifteen miles. The distance was accomplished in good style, and the battalion then bivouacked in an open field for a wet and cold night, where the majority walked about, shivering and miserable, but heroically stuck it outvii. Little did they know what was to come in the war zone. Training was not too hard and there was a reasonable allowance of leave. On Sundays, the camp was open for visitors.
On the evening of 22 September, the battalion marched to the wharf to load their baggage and be allocated their quarters on HMNZT 12 Waimana. The following day a large crowd assembled in the Domain to farewell the Auckland Battalion, where the men marched through a great throng to the wharf. The King’s College Cadets had one important parade during the third term, 1914. They attended the official farewell from Auckland and were given the duty to line both sides of Queen Street from Customs Street to the wharf gates. … We are also proud to think that two of the companies are in command of Major Stuckey and Major Bayly, who have done so much in the past to bring our cadets up to a high state of efficiency.viii
The ship departed Auckland, however, HMS Pyramus, which was scouting well ahead, had come into contact with the German Pacific Fleet, so the Waimana returned to port. The battalion, for the next fortnight, lived on the boat but went ashore every day for training. On 11 October the Waimana left once again, this time for Wellington where the remainder of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force had assembled. At dawn, 16 October, the escort ships moved out, with the transports following in file behind. Hobart was the first stop before sailing on to Albany, Western Australia.
When the ship reached Colombo, it seemed that very few would be allowed off the ship, but Colonel Plugge managed to misunderstand the order issued, with the result that everyone went off. It was the only chance of sending back Christmas presents to home folk.ix Wares of all types were purchased. After the ship left Colombo, the New Zealand Expeditionary Force found out that they were to disembark at Alexandria and go into camp outside Cairo for training to be completed.
The Auckland Battalion arrived in Alexandria on 3 December, disembarked and went by train to Helmieh station, Zeitoun. They marched to the camping ground and made preparations for the night on the desert sand. Training then commenced. A typical day saw the battalion march, fight, dig in and undertake drills for six or seven hours per day before returning to camp. Every night, the city of Cairo was crowded with fit, high-spirited young men, free after their day of training, looking for fun before returning to camp to sleep.
‘Imperial men with the battalion reckoned it was harder than anything they had done with British Troops, platoon, company and battalion drill, musketry, extended order work, attack, defence, trench digging, tactical schemes, night bivouacs and above all, route marching with full packs. A few of the weaker ones broke under the strain but the majority thrives on hard work.’x
On 25 January 1915, orders were given that the battalion were to entrain for the Suez Canal. Colonel Plugge made a short address at the entraining point, telling the battalion that they would be ‘scrapping within the next 24 hours. Play the game. Let Auckland and New Zealand be proud of you.xi The battalion moved to Ismailia where they spent the next month. The New Zealand Brigade was kept in reserve to the Indian troops and continued with their training routine before returning on 26 February to Zeitoun with their camp re-established at the same spot.
Finally, on 15 April the battalion embarked for Lemnos Island on HMT Lutzow, a captured German liner. The concentration of the force grew larger and larger – English Territorials, Indian, Australian and New Zealand soldiers – all swelling the numbers. On 23 April, Lutzow moved to the outer harbour with Colonel Plugge and his officers, including Major Robert Bayly high on the bridge. The men massed along the rails. On the evening of 24 April, the battalion knew the great adventure had begun. The officers spent time in the mess before everything went quiet. Some slept while others peered through the darkness for sight of land.
At 2am on 25 April, the battalion commenced landing operations. The Auckland Battalion would be the first New Zealand unit ashore at Gallipoli, with all men landed under shellfire by 9.30am.xii Many had to jump from the boats and wade chest-deep in the water, led by Colonel Plugge. The battalion was ordered to move forward up the hill and support the Australians who had landed some hours earlier, and were being heavily pressed. The centre, where help was most needed, was showing signs of breaking. While turning to make the shortest route to the threatened point, Colonel Plugge received shrapnel in his wrist, but carried on.
‘The new route lay over the Plateau, and it was here that things started to get busy. Once above the crest line, across the level, and descending the slope towards Shrapnel Valley, men commenced to fall.’xiii Shrapnel and snipers were taking their toll over the rough ground and the line became disorganised. From this time the battalion ceased to exist with small groups taking over, led by the natural leaders, officers, NCOs and private soldiers. While fire on the battalion became hotter and hotter, the groups pushed on. The Turks were counter-attacking in over-powering numbers but the stubborn New Zealanders and Australians mixed together, refused to give ground. The wounded crawled back towards the stretcher bearers, ammunition and water were taken from dead men, but still the pressure was kept up. The battalion lost Major Stuckeyxiv, Lieutenants Flower, Dobson and Allen and others were wounded. Still the line held. Among those who did great things was Lieutenant Steadman from Robert’s Company.
When night fell, work to consolidate was undertaken. ‘It was a wild and terrible night. The Turks were moving in the scrub in great numbers, but they were, like the Australasians, tired. The new ANZAC spirit ensured resolute defence and the gunfire of the fleet had cost the Turks many thousands of men. The first 24-hours fighting had led to great disorganisation with brigades, battalions and companies all mixed up. The Auckland battalion was placed in reserve, and ordered to concentrate on Plugge’s Plateau. They soon learned the difference between fighting and resting. ’Resting meant hard toil with pick and shovel, varied by carrying loads of bully-beef, biscuits and ammunition long distances and up steep tracks.’xv The Auckland Battalion lost 5 officers and 73 men killed. Nine officers and 211 men were wounded and evacuated.
‘On May 1st the Aucklanders left the Plateau and climbed the steep track to Walker’s Ridge. The next day they were to have been in support to an attack, but at the last moment the operation was cancelled. Half the battalion then moved to Pope’s Hill under Colonel Plugge, while the remainder with Major Harrowell stayed on in the support position. Two days afterwards, orders were received by the battalion to rendezvous at Brighton Pier, prior to embarking for Cape Helles.’xvi
The New Zealand Brigade was reformed and on the evening of 5 May they embarked for Cape Helles. Having landed, the brigade marched inland. On the morning of 8 May, orders were issued for the New Zealand Brigade to pass through the British units and advance on Krithia Village. The Wellington Battalion were on the left connecting up with the 29th Division, Auckland Battalion in the centre and Canterbury Battalion on the right linking with the Australians. The Otago Battalion was in reserve. The Auckland Battalion moved up along a winding creek bed, just enough to give shelter and when they were a couple of hundred yards from the front line, platoon rushes were used to reach the front line. Lieutenant Steadman was killed and there were several casualties. The Turkish units were located on a hump known as Achi Baba but from the New Zealand front line they were not visible. Colonel Plugge told his men, ’Well boys, the orders are to go ahead, and we have got to carry them out.’xvii The British Regular units in the front line were surprised, ‘What! You are going to cross the Daisy Patch? God help you.’xviii They had tried the day before without success. On the signal, all the men in the first wave went over the parapet and down the slope and the Turkish troops opened fire. Most of the battalion in the first wave went down but some reached the scrub on the other side and formed a sort of firing line.
All the men of the second wave were shot down and when the third wave tried, only a few got across. The Daisy Patch was a tangle of Auckland dead and wounded.xix Lieutenant Screaton was killed and Lieutenant Macfarlane and Lieutenant Weir were wounded. Captain Bartlett who had shown great leadership in the battle was wounded later.
The battalion was in a terrible state, cut to pieces, disorganised, utterly spent, so that it was no longer an effective fighting unit. Having been withdrawn, its place was taken by the Otago Battalion.21 Colonel Plugge, who was wounded, was replaced by Lieutenant Colonel Young as commanding officer. The Auckland Battalion suffered 400 killed and wounded.
Two days later the New Zealand Brigade was withdrawn and placed in reserve, doing fatigues. On 19 May, the Brigade embarked to return to Gallipoli. Major Bayly was killed by a stray bullet from off the shore in the early hours of 20 May 1915. The 15th North Auckland Company suffered great losses. Only Lieutenant McClelland remained of the original company officers.
Major Robert Horatio Roy Bayly was one of four with the rank of major in the battalion who paid the supreme sacrifice while serving at Gallipoli. He was the twenty-seventh officer to be killed or wounded of the original twenty-nine.xxi
In the diary of Captain Fairchild, New Zealand Army Medical Corps, he stated, ‘A stray bullet killed Major Bayly who was landing with some troops in a barge. He had lain down and gone to sleep in the barge. It was noticed that he had slipped down a little bit; it was not noticed that he had been hit until the men were out of the barge. Then it was found that he was dead. He had got a bullet through the brain.’xxii
The Auckland Star quoted in Wanganui Herald on 17 September 1915 stated, ’Major Bayly was killed by a shot from a stray bullet, fired from the shore, which struck him in the head as we came back on a trawler from Cape Helles. He had been a sick man for a long time before he was killed. A shot from [the ship] Queen Elizabeth landed in one of our trenches and killed a couple of men and Major Bayly received a shock which would have thoroughly justified him going to hospital’.
Major Bayly was buried at sea. His name is recorded on the Lone Pine Memorial at Gallipoli.
One of Robert’s sisters received a letter dated 17 June 1915 from the Remuera Lawn Tennis Club.xxiii
Miss Bayley
Milton Road, Off Dominion Rd.,
Mount Eden
Dear Madam,
I have to inform you that at the Annual General Meeting of my Club a unanimous vote of sympathy was passed to you in the sad loss you have sustained by the death of your brother Major R H Bayley [sic]. We trust that time will alleviate the sorrow and regret you must at present experience. The fact that he died nobly fighting for his King and country and the cause of humanity is doubtless some recompense to you and I can assure you we feel proud that he was a member of our Club. It is the intension of the Committee to perpetuate the memory of all its members who fall in this fearful war and whatever means are adopted, I can assure you that your brother will hold an honoured place therein.
Yours truly
Hon. Secretary
Major Robert Horatio Roy Bayly is remembered at Gallipoli on the Lone Pine Memorial (panel 72), on the King’s College Roll of Honour, on the Auckland University Roll of Honour, on the Pukekohe Intermediate School Memorial Stone, at the Auckland War Memorial Museum World War 1 Hall of Memories, at the Hamilton Memorial Park, and on the Memorial plaque of the Auckland Garrison Officers’ Club at St Mary’s Church.
Pukekohe Intermediate School, WW1 Memorial Stone Bayly, Robert H R Major.
(Source: Aucklandmuseum.com)
During winter 1924, a grove of memorial trees was planted at Pukekohe School to commemorate the Old Boys of the school who died during the Great War. Individual memorial stones were later placed at the base of each tree. The memorial was re-dedicated in April 2006 with the stones restored and reset in a wall outside the Pukekohe Intermediate School.
Memorial Plaque, Auckland Garrison Officers Club at St Mary’s Church
(Source: Aucklandmuseum.com)
Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 1 Hall of Memories (Panel B.E.Baxter – K.A.Bayne)
(Source: Aucklandmuseum.com)
Lone Pine Memorial, Auckland Infantry Regiment
(Source: nzwargraves.org.nz)
Soon after Robert’s death, his sister Violet Rebecca Revina Bayly enlisted as a nurse with the New Zealand Army Nursing Service. She had qualified in 1914 and had worked as a staff nurse at Auckland Hospital. She served throughout the war and was discharged on 25 August 1919. Violet is remembered on the New Zealand Returned Army Nursing Sisters’ Association Honour Board in Auckland.
The medals, medallion, and flask of Major Bayly are proudly displayed at the Maryborough Military & Colonial Museum. The flask was presented, 5 May 1910, to Captain Robert Bayly by the 3rd Company King’s College Cadets. Shown with the medals of Major Robert Horatio Roy Bayly – 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal – are his Special Constabulary Foot medallion and his sister Violet’s New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association (Nurse) badge.
Flask presented to Capt R Bayly
No 3 Compy KCC
5.5.10
Medals and medallion of Major Robert Horatio Roy Bayly and badge of Violet Bayly.
Lest we Forget
References
New Zealand Expeditionary Force Form 2 Attestation of Robert Horatio Roy Bayly
New Zealand Defence Records R22273643 Robert Horatio Roy Bayly
nzhistory.govt.nz
Ancestry.com
nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/ww1-centenary/roll-of-honour/search?page=113
Auckland Weekly News 27 May 1915 page 56
Ozlists.com (from Auckland Weekly News)
Nzwargraves.org.nz New Zealand War Graves Project
Discover.stqry.com/v/pukekohe-intermediate-school-memorial-trees
New Zealand Herald 12 April 1900
www.sooty.nz/king’s-college-roll-of-honour
ww100.nelsonmuseum.co.nz
King’s College King’s Collegian, term 3, 1914
Australian War Memorial Unit Diaries Item 35/18/2 Auckland Battalion April 1915
Australian War Memorial Unit Diaries Item 35/18/2 Auckland Battalion May 1915
Canterbury Times 25 July 1915 page 58
Wanganui Herald 7 September 1915 page 7
Endnotes
i King’s College Auckland Honour Roll 1914-1918
ii Motto of 15th (North Auckland) Company
iii Principal 1896-1901
iv nzhistory.govt.nz
v Auckland Weekly News 27 May 1915 page 56
vi Discover.slqry.com
vii The Auckland Regiment
viii King’s Collegian, Term 3, 1914 page 33
ix Ibid
x The Auckland Regiment
xi Ibid
xii Auckland Battalion War Diary.
xiii The Auckland Regiment
xiv Died of wounds to his neck and chest. He succumbed to his wounds on the hospital ship on 25 April 1915 and has no known grave and is remembered on the Lone Pine Memorial
xv The Auckland Regiment
xvi Ibid
xvii Ibid
xviii Ibid
xix Ibid
xx Auckland Weekly News 1915 via Aucklandmuseum.com
xxi The New Zealanders at Gallipoli page 131
xxii Canterbury Times 28 July 1915, page 58
xxiii The club was formed in 1907 and is today known as Remuera Rackets Club.
ANZAC Biographies
On our website you will find the biographical details of ANZAC (as well as British) servicemen & women whose medals or other memorabilia form part of the collection on display at the Maryborough Military & Colonial Museum, Maryborough, Queensland, Australia.