James Bayley
Commander (retired) James Bayley (14 November, 1880 – 27 January, 1932) served in the Royal Navy.
Life & Career
Born in Acton, the son of Jason Bayley. Bayley gained seven momnths' time on passing out of Britannia in mid-January, 1897.
Bayley was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 31 December, 1902.
Bayley was appointed in command of the "B" Class destroyer Myrmidon on 25 January, 1909. He received a very favourable inspection from Captain Tyrwhitt, but later in the year the T.B.D. accidentally fired a live shell towards the shore – a serious accident in itself which Bayley worsened by being slow to report. He was cautioned to exercise more care in future. His ship obtained good gunnery results otherwise.
Bayley passed a preliminary examination in the German language in April, 1910. In June, he reported that he was suffering a nervous breakdown and asked for six months on half pay. He was surveyed at Haslar Naval Hospital on 27 June and declared to be suffering from neurasthenia. He was given six months of full pay service leave, to be resurveyed afterward.
While unemployed, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 31 December, 1910. His resurvey found that he was not yet fit, and another three months were granted. Though he was found fit on 1 April, 1911, Bayley was placed on the Retired List at his own request, dated 30 March, 1911.
Bayley was appointed on 22 August, 1914 to join the new battlecruiser H.M.S. Tiger upon her commissioning. He left her in January, 1916 when he was ordered to assist Commander Ryan, working under the Director of Naval Ordnance.
In mid-July 1916, Bayley was directed to report to the Admiralty to await an appointment. One week later, he was appointed to take command of the gunboat Aphis.
Bayley performed well when the situation called for it. The French government relayed its thanks for his action on the occasion of the Loire (perhaps the requisitioned troopship) being torpedoed. Bayley was soon thereafter appointed to the staff of the Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean on 28 June, 1918.
Bayley was promoted to the rank of Commander (retired) for war service, dated 11 November, 1918.
See Also
| Naval Appointments | ||
| Preceded by Mark G. Newton |
Captain of H.M.S. Lightning 13 Apr, 1907[1][2] – 25 Jan, 1909 |
Succeeded by Austin C. Ackland |
| Preceded by Lionel J. G. Anderson |
Captain of H.M.S. Myrmidon 25 Jan, 1909[3] – 20 Apr, 1910 |
Succeeded by Maurice C. Bomford |
| Preceded by Frederick B. Noble |
Captain of H.M.S. Aphis 25 Jul, 1916[4] – 28 Jun, 1918 |
Succeeded by Gerald A. Wilson |
Footnotes
