Hamburg Cemetery, Germany
Commemorated on Old Boys of St James' Company Boys Brigade
Memorial
NEWS ITEM in Jersey
Evening Post of Wednesday 29 August 1917
Roll of Honour. More of the gallant members
of the original little Jersey Company Royal Irish Rifles
have been called upon to make the supreme sacrifice.
One of these, Rifleman E C Baillie, son of Mr &
Mrs Baillie of 17 New St James' Place was formerly employed
at Boots Ltd. He was 22 and was well known and highly
respected locally. His parents have received a letter
from a comrade Lance Corporal Drouin and also the following
from Lieutenant C A Ogier, Officer Commanding
"BEF France. 23 August 1917.
Dear Mr Baillie, I very much regret having to inform
you of the death of your son, Rifleman E C Baillie,
who was killed in action on 16 August 1917. I tend to
you the deepest and most heartfelt sympathy of all the
officers, NCOs and men of my Company and can assure
you he will be missed by all who knew him as he always
had a kind word for all who came into contact with him.
I had known your son for the last 2 years as he was
one of the original Jersey Company and I can assure
you that I always admired and appreciated all the work
he was called upon to do. He was a good soldier, always
doing his work in a smart manner, also doing it very
efficiently. You have one consolation and I am sure
you feel proud that you son lost his life on the battlefield.
May God assist you to bear your loss bravely. I remain
truly yours C A Ogier, Lieutenant OC D Company 7th RIR".
We tender the parents, who have two other
sons serving, our heartfelt sympathy.
NEWS ITEM in Jersey Evening Post
of Monday 15 October 1917
The Dead Return - Rifleman Officially
Reported Killed Writes Home from Germany. One of those
startling incidents so favoured by novelists, but which
so very rarely occur in real life, has taken place in
our midst this weekend. Towards the close of August
Mr Baillie of New St James' Place received a letter
from Captain Ogier of the Jersey Company Royal Irish
Rifles stating that his son, Rifleman E C Baillie, had
been instantaneously killed in action on the night of
16 August. This was corroborated by subsequent letters
from comrades and when the confirming War Office communication
arrived shortly afterwards the family naturally were
not surprised. A few days ago a Jersey Rifleman on leave
visited the father and gave details of how the son met
his death on a raiding expedition and handed back several
postcards found on the battle field belonging to Baillie,
these having apparently dropped out of his pocket when
the Germans were adopting their usual plan of searching
the clothing of the fallen. Now comes the startling
denouement, for on Saturday Mr Baillie was surprised
to receive a letter bearing the postmark of Hanover
and his pleasure can be better imagined than described
when we state that the first words he saw were undoubtedly
in his son's writing. This was dated 11 September and
went on to state that the writer was getting better
and hoped that the previous communication had been received,
this was undoubtedly stopped by the German censor. The
son however finished here and an Australian soldier
continued the letter stating that Baillie's eyes were
so painful that he could not continue, but that he had
had a successful operation and was progressing favourably.
The family' grief is now naturally turned to delight
and we sincerely hope that the next letter will give
even more favourable news. From what we can gather,
on the night of 16 August the Rifleman was seen to be
hit in the head and fall and his comrades, on examination,
presumed he was dead. When discovered by the Germans
he must have recovered consciousness and was removed
to a hospital in Germany for treatment.
