John Charles Bailey was born in 1918 to American immigrant parents, John Wesley Bailey and Euretta Bailey, who homesteaded southwest of Baljennie, SK. John was working as a farmer and blacksmith apprentice when he registered for Home Defence duties under the National Resources Mobilization Act in early January 1941. He quickly opted to transferred to the active force in Saskatoon and was assigned to the Royal Canadian Engineers.
After some training, he was sent to the UK, arriving on 7 December, 1941 and was posted to the 10th Field Squadron, 5th Canadian Armoured Division. Sapper Bailey qualified as a motorcycle driver in March 1942, and as a Group C Blacksmith in October. He arrived in Naples, Italy with the 10th Field Squadron in November, 1943
Sapper Bailey was killed in action on September 6, 1944 and is buried at the Gradara War Cemetery, Italy. He was 25 years old. Bailey Creek which flows into the Torch River was named in his honour. "When you go home, tell them of us and say, for your tomorrow, we gave our today."