Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Edward Bailey a Shoe Trade Nailer, born 1848 in Hinckley, Leicestershire and his wife Mary Ann a Hosiery Seamer, born 1850 in Hinckley, Leicestershire. Tom was born in 1878 in Hinckley, Leicestershire, his siblings were Clara, born 1871, John, born 1873, Edward (Edmund), born 1876, James, born 1880, Eliza, born 1892 and Ada, born 1884, all his siblings were born in Hinckley, Leicestershire. In April 1881 the family home was at 7, Taylors Yard, Hinckley, Leicestershire. In April 1891 Tom was a Schoolboy and was residing in the family home at 2, Royal Oak Yard, Trinity Lane, Hinckley, Leicestershire. In March 1901 Thomas was employed as a Boot Machinist and was residing as a boarder at 9, Preston Street, Leicester. In April 1911 Thomas was employed as a General Labourer and was residing with his brother John in the family home at 9, Tan Yard, Hinckley, Leicestershire. The War Diary for today records that the Battalion were in the Support Line at Kemmel Hill. At 12.55am advice received from Brigade that if necessary 2nd Sherwood Foresters as well as 1st Leicestershire Regiment would be employed for a counter attack if any part of Kemmel Hill was occupied by the enemy. At 4.40am the situation was normal and quiet. At 7.00am the enemy commenced a heavy bombardment of the area occupied by the Battalion, 5.9’s and 8 inch on forward company’s, Gas shells neighbourhood of Battalion HQ’s, A and D Company’s and back areas. C Company suffered badly from the shelling. At 7.40am B Company reported in touch with 2nd Sherwood Foresters on right. At 10.10 the Officer Commanding B Company reported enemy attacking on our left, the troops holding the front line evacuated their positions under shell fire. They were sent back by B Company, and 2 platoons of B Company went with them to reinforce. 2 platoons of C Company moved up to replace the 2 platoons of B Company and D Company moved up the valley to a position between N.31.a 40.50 and N.31.a 90.80. At 11.20am the remainder of C Company moved forward to Sunken Road. No further news was received as to what was taking place on the left. Right support okay. At 12.40pm C Company reported enemy appeared to be moving against our left. At 12.55pm D Company (message timed at 12.45pm) in touch on both flanks, enemy reported massing in T.1. and T.2. central. At 1.10pm a message from D Company (timed 1.00pm) received advising that 1 platoon with extra Light Gun had been sent to reinforce front line about N.31.a. 9.3. Artillery barrage asked for on Sunken Road at N.31.d. 20.00 running north east and all available Machine Guns to fire on T.1 and T.2. central. At 2.05pm Officer Commanding D Company reported enemy advancing across the open in the neighbourhood of Donegal Farm. Another platoon sent to reinforce at Beaver Hall. At 4.15pm Donegal Farm and original front line reported intact, still held by our troops. French troops began to come up in large numbers advancing in extended order across the open from Locrehof Farm. They belonged to 99th Regiment and had a quiet journey forward, as hostile shelling had died away to nothing. They moved up to front and support lines and commenced to dig themselves in, in broad daylight. They appeared to be without any definite orders and application made as far back as Division for information regarding their disposal only produced the answer that nothing was known of them. At 4.25pm C Company reported badly cut up by shell fire. The remainder of the afternoon passed quietly and also the night. Casualties, other ranks B Company 3 wounded, 3 missing. D Company 2 killed, 20 wounded, 3 missing. Lieutenant J. A. Hill killed, Lieutenant W. Clancey wounded.