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NZ 4210518		Flight Sergeant Ronald Lawrence BAYLY.
Parents.		Mr & Mrs C. T. Bayly of Te Awamutu.

Ronald Bayly was born at Te Awamutu on March 12th
1924. He was educated at the Hamilton Technical High School, where he
passed the Engineering Preliminary and gained the Higher Leaving Cert-
ificate. He was interested in boxing, swimming and hockey and continued
to box after he left school and represented the Boys' Hostel team in
Wellington. Ronald Bailey [Bayly] was employed by the Public Works Department
as a draughting cadet. He made model aeroplanes in his spare time and
became a member of the Air Training Corps. He was enlisted at Seagrove
as an ACH/ATC on September 6th 1942. and began aircrew training at
Taieri on May 29th 1943.

On September 27th he gained his Flying Badge at
Woodbourne and promotion to Sergeant in November. He was then posted
to No. 2 Operational Training Unit, Ohakea where he trained as a fighter
pilot on Kittyhawks. At the completion of this course he was posted
to No. 19 Squadron, Ardmore and went forward to the Canal with the Squadron
in January 1944. Here he was engaged on bombing strikes and patrols
over Torokina and Green Islands. Sergeant Bailey [Bayly] was promoted Flight
Sergeant in May, and also posted to No. 21 Squadron Ardmore. At the end
of June after flying practice with Corsairs, he returned to the Pacific
and was stationed at Torokina. He flew more bombing and strafing patrols
in Vunakanu and Kahili areas and killed several Japs.

On August 29th 1944 whilst engaged in
strafimg enemy troops near Moro, South Bourgainville, his aircraft hit
a tree and crashed into the jungle.

It is believed that Flight Sergeant Bayly was buried
by a Roman Catholic priest near the Kare airstrip.

5/2/17094		Mr. C. T. Bayly, (Father)
527 hours		Sloane Street,
		TE AWAMUTU.