Lieutenant-Colonel Charlie Bailey
28th Armoured Regiment (B.C. Regiment)

For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty on numerous occasions. He has displayed the greatest gallantry and initiative in the performance of various duties, establishing ammunition and ration dumps, leading parties across “No Man’s Land” under heavy fire, attacking and gaining objectives at critical moments, and successfully resisting hostile counterattacks.

(M.C. Bar citation, 25 Aug 1917)

Born on 19 October 1895 in Kamloops, British Columbia, Charles Edward Bailey was a construction engineer, president of the longshoremen’s union, and highly decorated First World War veteran with two Military Crosses and the Distinguished Service Order. He enlisted with the 131st Battalion and went to France as a reinforcement officer for the 47th Battalion. Twice wounded in action, he ended the war at the rank of major in the Canadian Machine Gun Corps. He mobilized in June 1940 as second-in-command of the British Columbia Regiment.

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