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Berkshire – Eton College

Second Lieutenant Robert Bailey, who was the brother of Mrs Helen Lees-Milne of Wickhamford Manor, is honoured on the war memorial at Eton College.  His name is one of 1,157 former pupils who died in the First World War.

The Eton College war memorial was unveiled on 6th December 1921.  It comprises ten large and 13 small bronze plaques placed on the upper part of the colonnade walls.  The dedicatory plaque placed at the beginning bears the inscription:

1914-1919

THE NAMES RECORDED HERE

ARE THOSE OF THE 1157 ETONIANS WHO DIED

IN THE WAR

IN WHICH 5660 SERVED

LET US ALWAYS REMEMBER THEIR VALOUR

AND THEIR SACRIFICE

WITH LOVE AND THANKFULNESS

AND PRAY GOD TO MAKE US WORTHY OF THEM

IN TIME TO COME

In addition to the general war memorial at Eton College, there is a brass plaque in the College chapel dedicated to Robert and his friend, William Leveson Gower:

IN MEMORY OF

ROBERT NEALE MENTETH BAILEY

KING'S SCHOLAR AT ETON COLLEGE,

DEMY OF MAGDALEN COLLEGE, OXFORD

AND AFTERWARDS CLERK IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.

HAVING PASSED THROUGH THE INNS OF COURT OFFICERS TRAINING CORPS SQUADRON WHICH HE JOINED IN 1906,

HE BECAME LIEUTENANT IN THE EAST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE YEOMANRY IN 1914

AND DIED IN CAIRO OF WOUNDS RECEIVED IN PALESTINE

ON THE FIRST DAY OF DECEMBER 1917 IN HIS 36TH YEAR.

ALSO

IN MEMORY OF HIS ATTACHED AND LIFE-LONG FRIEND

WILLIAM GEORGE GRESHAM LEVESON GOWER

KING'S SCHOLAR AT ETON COLLEGE AND CAPTAIN OF THE SCHOOL 1901,

SCHOLAR OF CHRIST CHURCH, OXFORD

 AND AFTERWARDS CLERK IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS

AND BARRISTER OF THE INNER TEMPLE. HAVING PASSED THROUGH THE INNS OF COURT OFFICERS TRAINING CORPS SQUADRON WHICH HE JOINED IN 1907

HE SERVED AS A GENERAL STAFF OFFICER FROM 1915 – 1917

ATTAINING THE RANK OF CAPTAIN

HE TRANSFERRED INTO THE COLDSTREAM GUARDS 1918

AND WAS KILLED IN ACTION WHILE IN COMMAND OF THE 3RD COMAPANY OF THE 1ST BATTALION OF THAT REGIMENT AT AWOINGT IN FRANCE

ON THE NINTH DAY OF OCTOBER 1918 IN HIS 36TH YEAR.