Cause: Suicide
Location: Brantford, Ontario
                          
BX May 21, 1919

Harold Eugene Bayley, War Veteran Ended Life – Body Found Near Alfred Street Bridge with a Bullet through his Temple – Was Despondent

A very sad affair took place just west of the Alfred Street Bridge near the pumping station shortly after midnight this morning when Harold E. Bayley was found dead, with a revolver shot through his temple. The discovery was made by Harold Mordue, Cainsville, who was returning home. Beside the body was found a 38 Colt revolver, one shot having been discharged. 

Sergeant Wallace and Coroner Fissette were both immediately summoned, and the body was removed to Reid and Brown’s undertaking parlor, where it at present rests, waiting funeral arrangements from the late home, 27 Fair Avenue. No inquest will be held.

Harold Bayley was the well-known janitor of the city hall, and was one of the returned heroes of the war. He was at the G.W.V.A. home last night and before he went home, it is believed that he repaired to the city hall and secured the revolver from the office of Tax Collector Benedict. He had been an acute but nevertheless a silent sufferer from head trouble, from wounds received at the front, and it is thought that the trouble he carried became more than he could bear, and his mind must have become temporarily unbalanced to have caused him to commit the rank act. Officials of the city hall, who always took a kindly interest in Bayley, report that he complained frequently of severe pains in the back of the head, where he had a plate. He bore a scar in the temple, which he received in the South African war but which gave him no trouble. His condition was known to the medical examiners at the pension board at Hamilton, and they strongly urged him to go to hospital for observation and, if necessary, have an operation from which good results were promised. The veteran, however, demurred at further hospital treatment having had so much of it after receiving his wounds in France. He had scores of friends, none of whom suspected that there was the slightest possibility of his “going out” in such an unfortunate manner. He was a married man and leaves a sorrowing wife to survive his loss.

Bayley was familiarly known all over the city as “Bill,” and wherever he went he was a popular favorite. He worried about his duties at the city hall and was most conscientious in the performance of his tasks to the most minute details. He had an arrangement whereby he had to pay for assistance for the care and cleanliness of the city clerk’s office an arrangement which some of the officials at the city hall this morning said was a poor one to be encumbering the civic service, and Bayley worried over this, as it required $11 monthly from his wages to meet the expense. He performed his work with soldierly precision and came to be trusted to an unusual degree by all the officials, to whom he was always the essence of courtesy and ever obliging. It was only at the last meeting of the City Council that Bayley’s soldierly qualities were in evidence. He was asked what became of the flags used in the recent decoration in the city, and his reply was prompt, “They are in my care,,” an assurance which the council received with satisfaction because if ever the flag would be taken care of at all, it would be in “Bill” Bayley’s hands. The aldermen liked him for his quiet unassuming way, and his attention to business. It was stated this morning that Janitor Bayley gave the best service at the city hall which had ever been given.

He was recently given an increase in wages with which he seemed to be very well satisfied.

As a member of the G.W.V.A., there was no one more true than “Bill” Bayley. He frequently illuminated the meetings of the association by an expression of opinion from the floor, an opinion which was generally sound common sense. He served overseas with the famous 13th Battery, one of the best in the First Division. He also served through the South African War and was wounded. 

The funeral arrangements have not yet been made, but military honors will be accorded the remains. The G.W.V.A. officials are busy this morning lending their tenderest solicitude to the bereaved widow and making the necessary arrangements for the funeral.

BX May 22, 1919

Double Funeral

Secretary of the G.W.V.A. stated this morning that he was endeavouring to arrange for a double funeral for the late comrades, Harold Bayley and James Dawson, the funeral to take place to St. Jude’s Church. A gun carriage was being secured and military honors would be accorded the remains.

BX May 26, 1919

With Military Honors Given – Remains of Comrades H.E. Bayley and James Dawson Interred

Two of Brantford soldiers who had given their lives in the great cause found a resting place in Mt. Hope cemetery under the Canadian maples, when the remains of Private Harold E. Bayley and Private James Dawson were laid away with full military honors. The wound received in the head by Pte. Bayley had proved beyond his mortal strength to overcome, and the results of a gas attack had weakened Pte. Dawson till both succumbed and passed to their rest.
    
The remains of Private James Dawson were taken from his mother’s home, 88 Balfour Street, to St. John’s Church and there Rev. E.C. Jennings conducted a short service. From the church the funeral procession went to the War Veterans’ home, whither Pte. Bayley’s body was also conveyed, and Rev. C.L. Bilkey and Rev. Mr. Jennings performed the last funeral rites in the presence of the soldier comrades, who had gathered out of deep sympathy and respect, and other friends.
    
Headed by the Dufferin Rifles band and Sergeant Hutcheon’s mount, with muffled drum the double funeral proceeded solemnly to Mt. Hope cemetery. The gun carriage was painstakingly made over to hold both caskets, and with their country’s flag draping them in honor, side by side, the two departed veterans were borne to their last camping ground.
    
Twenty-four soldiers pulled the gun carriage, and hard though it was through the heavy mud, it was done loyally. Behind the remains came the bearers, six comrades of the 125th Battalion for Pte. Dawson, Pte. Clarence Hawk, Pte. Chas. Dawson, Sergt. Robert McCartney, Pte. Ivan Brigall, Pte. Joseph McMains, Pte. Wilfrid Simons. Private Bayley, who belonged to the 15th Battalion, was followed by Pte. William Bingham, Harry Richardson, Jack Rowcliffe, Bert McGill. The city hall officials attended in a body out of respect to one who they always found reliable and helpful.
    
Private W. Beech sounded the Last Post and Sergt. Harry Carey was in charge of the firing party of 24 who gave the farewell salute to their fallen mates.
    
Beautiful flowers covered both caskets. Those laid in place by the sorrowing wife of Private Bayley were as follows: Pillow, by herself; wreaths, sister and brother, Archie and Lizzie; cross, Catharine and Tom; wreaths by Mayor, aldermen and officials of the city of Brantford; cross by the downstairs office staff of the city hall; broken wheel, from his comrades in arms, G.W.V.A.; sprays, Private W. and Mrs. Haggar of Toronto, a soldier chum, Sergt. T. Payne and wife, and brother, Pte. W. Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Flaherty and Mr. and Mrs. R. Pace, Mr. and Mrs. G. Hair and Mr. and Mrs. J. Williams, Mr. and Mrs. N.N. Shiviges, Mr. and Mrs. Hubert, Mr. and Mrs. W. Payne, and Elsie and Ivy, Lucille and Baby Norman, T.J. Fair employees, Mr. and Mrs. W. Glover, Eagle Place Kith and Kin; Salisbury Lodge, S.O.E., Mr. and Mrs. Thomas, Mr. and Mrs. P. Whelem, Mr. and Mrs. A. Brown, Mr. and Mrs. LeComter and family, Mrs. Moor and Lily, Mr. and Mrs. J. Wood, Mr. and Mrs. Calder, Mr. and Mrs. Grant, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Whitten, Miss May Cleaves, Mr. and Mrs. J. Brown, Mr. and Mr. Sullivan and family, and “Billie.
  
In Private Dawson’s casket the flowers were laid by the following:
    
Pillow, the family; sprays, Mrs. Callis and Mrs. Dennis, Mr. and Mrs. Angus Wilson; sheaf of roses, Miss Richmond, Hamilton Sanatorium; Easter lilies, Mrs. Dyson; sprays, Ladies’ Guild, St. John’s Church, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Creath, Mr. and Mrs. Geo Hewson, Mrs. R.G. Ballantyne, Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Raynor, Grace and Reginald Raynor, Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Raynor, Mr. and Mrs. William Creath and family, Mr. and Mrs. James Wickson, Mr. and Mrs. John Cleator, Mr. and Mrs. O.J. Saunders of Hamilton; St. John’s Church; cross, Mr. and Mrs. W.G. Dawson and family; spray, Mr. and Mrs. R. Silverthorne, Mrs. George Creater, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Unger, Sadie and Florence Keffer, Clarence and Charlie Hawke, Mr. and Mrs. Diltz, Mr. and Mrs. Wesley Creath, Aunt Hattie of Buffalo; Uncle Aaron and Aunt Kate; sheath of wheat and roses, Cousins Theresa and Anna; wreath, Comrades Mt. Sanatorium; broken wheel, Comrades of G.W.V.A.

BX May 26, 1919

The Veteran – A Column of News and Views of, for and by Returned Men

Although the war is over, and peace is all but signed, there are still wars tragedies right at home, and in the wake of the European blood bath for many a day will come tragedies as sad as can be borne. They are but war’s ghastly dividends. A good soul went out this week in Harold Bayley.