Born in Lahore on 3 February 1882, F.H.M. Bailey, was the son of an officer in the Royal Engineers British Army (who was also named Frederick, resulting in the younger Bailey usually being called just Eric). He studied at Edinburgh Academy, Wellington 1895-1899 and at Sandhurst from where he was commissioned onto the Unattached List, Indian Army on the 28th July 1900. He was admitted to the Indian Army 26 October 1901 and appointed to the 17th Bengal Lancers. He was promoted to Lieutanant 28 October 1902 and transferred to the 32nd Sikh Pioneers on the 1st March 1903. He obtained a transfer to the Foreign & Political Department 24 January 1906. During a mission in Sikhim he began to study Tibetan, and became so proficient that he accompanied Francis Younghusband in his 1904 invasion of Tib