# Dawson Bayliss, 1984-2009, R.I.P.



## The Bread Guy (25 Nov 2009)

From his obit:


> Lawrence Matthew “Dawson” Bayliss, beloved husband of Naomi of Calgary, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Monday, November 23, 2009 at the age of 24 years.
> 
> He was born on December 10, 1984 in Kirkland Lake, Ontario. On August 21, 2004, Dawson enlisted in the Canadian Forces. He served with the #1 PPCLI as a private, and was injured during his tour in Afghanistan. Dawson was a volunteer Service Officer at The Royal Canadian Legion Service Bureau. Dawson is survived by his loving wife Naomi and their unborn baby, also his family at the Legion ....



Bayliss was also a pallbearer for Private Robert Costall's ramp ceremony, injured in an accident on his return from the repatriation - more on that from Christie Blatchford:
http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/41531/post-361459#msg361459

R.I.P.


----------



## Z50C (25 Nov 2009)

BAYLISS , Lawrence Matthew "Dawson" December 10, 1984 - November 23, 2009 Lawrence Matthew "Dawson" Bayliss, beloved husband of Naomi of Calgary, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Monday, November 23, 2009 at the age of 24 years. He was born on December 10, 1984 in Kirkland Lake, Ontario. On August 21, 2004, Dawson enlisted in the Canadian Forces. He served with the No. 1 PPCLI as a private, and was injured during his tour in Afghanistan. Dawson was a volunteer Service Officer at The Royal Canadian Legion Service Bureau. Dawson is survived by his loving wife Naomi and their unborn baby, also his family at the Legion

http://www.legacy.com/can-calgary/obituaries.asp?Page=SearchResults&DateRange=Today&Product=0

RIP Brother.


----------



## the 48th regulator (4 Jan 2010)

Folks, Some articles regarding Dawson Bayliss.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/afghanmission/article/745004--dimanno-this-soldier-died-fighting-the-system

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/afghanmission/casualties/article/745501--dimanno-pity-the-walking-wounded-among-our-vets

I had the privelage to meet Dawson, back in October of 2009, when we did our Volunteer Training together.  He was witty, funny, quiet, and had a mind like an encyclopedia when he talked about anything to do with Space travel.

Take care friend.

dileas

tess


----------



## Pat in Halifax (27 Jan 2010)

My God, what a sad, sad story - I had never heard this before. 
You are not forgotten
Godspeed on your journey of everlasting peace.


----------



## Dog Walker (27 Sep 2010)

Edmonton soldier gets funeral he deserved: Wife
By KATHLEEN HARRIS, QMI AGENCY
Last Updated: September 27, 2010 7:11pm
http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2010/09/27/15495326.html

OTTAWA — A Canadian soldier injured in Afghanistan finally got a military funeral with honours Sunday — 10 long months after his death.
Pte. Dawson Bayliss was never the same after he was hit in the head by the barrel on the turret during a ride through rough terrain in Kandahar April 2, 2006. He was sent home with head trauma, but his family says he was never properly treated for the concussion and post-traumatic stress disorder that resulted from the wound.
He died at age 24 on Nov. 23, 2009 from swelling to the brain, his pregnant wife Naomi by his side.
Sunday's funeral in Calgary was bittersweet after years of debilitating depression, seizures and headaches and a battle against the bureaucratic machine that left Bayliss bitter and exasperated.
"It's ridiculous that it took this long, but at the same time I'm glad it was done — that he finally got the honour and recognition he deserved," Naomi said.
Bayliss left the military in frustration, formally released voluntarily instead of for medical reasons. He ripped up every reminder of his time in service with the 1st Battalion of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry based in Edmonton.
"It was an absolute nightmare," Naomi said. "Everything was a fight. It was awful. He had just given up."
While Bayliss is not counted among Canada's 152 fallen soldiers, Naomi says the military has conceded his death was related to the injury in theatre, even though reports were inconclusive. They awarded her the Memorial Cross given to mothers and widows of men killed in the line of duty, and Bayliss' name will be added to the Books of Remembrance on Parliament Hill, which honours those who died in service.
Eventually the military also awarded most of the financial benefits to help provide financial security to Naomi and her son Deacon, born June 2.
Steven Taylor said the funeral gave his son-in-law the honour and recognition he deserved and some closure to the family.
Internal documents show Veterans Affairs Canada case workers acknowledged in Nov. 2007 there were "missed opportunities" to manage the client early in the transition process to achieve "a more successful outcome" and that certain things "fell through the cracks."
Taylor said the case represents all that is wrong with how Canada treats its war wounded — offering them "minimal, fractional" compensation and a "messed up" bureaucracy. The death benefit deducted compensation Bayliss had received for his traumatic injuries.
"To throw a couple billion dollars isn't going to fix the problem. It's a systemic problem that needs to be dealt with at a much bigger level," he said.
kathleen.harris@sunmedia.ca


----------

