Albert John HAYES
Born 27 April 1888, Tooborac ~ Died 4 October 1917, Belgium
Abbie went to war with his brother and cousins and friends but he didn't come home. He died during the Battle of Broodseinde in Belgium, not far from the French border.
Abbie was commemorated at the The Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial (Panel 7), Belgium as there was no grave. (Ieper is the modern Belgium name for the German spelt Ypres.)
Abbie was commemorated at the The Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial (Panel 7), Belgium as there was no grave. (Ieper is the modern Belgium name for the German spelt Ypres.)
The Argus, Melbourne 4 October 1918HAYES-BODYCOAT
-In loving memory of our dear son, Corporal A. J. Hayes (Abbie), killed in
action in France on Oct, 4, 1917, also his cousin,
Priv. H. W. Bodycoat, killed in action in
France on Oct 22, 1917. (Wm. and M.E. Hayes, "Medburn" Tooborac.)
HAYES - In loving memory of our dear brother Corporal A. J. Hayes (Abbie), killed in action in France, Oct. 4, 1917 (Inserted by W. J. Hayes, on active service, Tom, Myrtle, and, nieces, May and Mollie.)
HAYES - In loving memory of our dear brother, Abbie, who was killed in action in France, 4th Oct, 1917, aged 29 years.
A gallant hero, true and brave, Now peacefully sleeps in a soldier's grave: Great was the blow, but God knew best When he took dear Abbie to his home of rest. We pictured your safe return, dear brother, And longed for the clasp of your hand; But never will be the greeting In Australia’s sunny land. (Inserted by his loving brother and sister- in- law, Wilfred and Wilfred and Lizzie Hayes, Tooborac.) HAYES - BODYCOAT. - In loving memory of Abbie (A. V. Hayes), ) D Company, 7th Batt, killed in action October 4, 1917; also his cousin, Harold (H W Bodycoat), C Company, 31st Batt, killed in action October 22, 1917.
All's well with the men who have done their best; And we shall keep remembrance fond for ever deep (“The Pines," Mernda ) |
The AIF Project 2008 recorded the following:Albert John HAYES
Regimental number: 5101 Place of birth: Tooborac, Victoria School: State School Religion: Methodist Occupation: Farmer Address: Tooborac, Victoria Marital status: Single Age at embarkation: 27 Next of kin: Father, Mr W Hayes, PO, Tooborac, Victoria Previous military service: Nil Enlistment date: 5 January 1916 Rank on enlistment: Private Unit name: 7th Battalion, 16th Reinforcement AWM Embarkation Roll number: 23/24/4 Embarkation details: Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A23 Suffolk on 1 April 1916 Rank from Nominal Roll: Private Unit from Nominal Roll: 7th Battalion Fate: Killed in Action 4 October 1917 Age at death: 29.5 Place of burial: No known grave Commemoration details: The Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial (Panel 7), Belgium The Menin Gate Memorial (so named because the road led to the town of Menin) was constructed on the site of a gateway in the eastern walls of the old Flemish town of Ypres, Belgium, where hundreds of thousands of allied troops passed on their way to the front, the Ypres salient, the site from April 1915 to the end of the war of some of the fiercest fighting of the war. The Belgians prefer Ypres to be known as Ieper. The Memorial was conceived as a monument to the 350,000 men of the British Empire who fought in the campaign. Inside the arch, on tablets of Portland stone, are inscribed the names of 56,000 men, including 6,178 Australians, who served in the Ypres campaign and who have no known grave. Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial 50 Miscellaneous information from cemetery records: Parents: William and Mary HAYES, Tooborac, Victoria Family/military connections: Brother: 5104 Pte William Joseph HAYES, 7th Bn, returned to Australia, 12 May 1919. Other details: War service: Western Front Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal © 2009 Copyright The AIF Project, UNSW@ADFA, 2008 http://www.aif.adfa.edu.au:8080/showPerson?pid=131700 |
Battle of BroodseindeCharles Bean, "Anzac to Amiens", Canberra, 1948, p.371
On 4th October 1917 the Battle of Broodseinde, part of 3rd assult on Ypres (Passchendaele) in Belgium began. By late September 1917 the British 'Flanders Offensive' seemed to be going well. 'Bite and hold' tactics had pushed the Germans back through their defences towards the heights of the ridge running through Passchendaele village. The cost had been high in both men and material but German morale was thought to be weakening. The enemy system of counter-attack had faltered under heavy British artillery fire and so far British forces had been well supported by their guns. On 4 October 1917 the next operation in the 'bite and hold' series was launched: the Battle of Broodseinde. Twelve divisions, including three Australian and the New Zealand Division, attacked on a 13-kilometre front with four Anzac divisions in the centre fighting side-by-side for the first time. The Anzac divisions in line, from left to right (north to south) were the New Zealand, Third, Second and First Australian Divisions. The Australians faced the main Broodseinde ridge. Preparations for the attack were expedited so it could be made before the fine weather of the preceding fortnight changed. On the night of 3 October, rain began to fall but it was decided that the attack would take place as scheduled. At dawn on 4 October, 40 minutes before the scheduled start time of 6 am, the First and Second Divisions were suddenly hit by a German barrage which fell on the shell-holes where they were waiting. There were many casualties but the Australians could only wait out the bombardment. At 6 am the British barrage descended, whereupon the Australians rose to their feet and advanced – only to be met by a line of troops from the German side who also jumped to their feet at that moment 30 metres away. They had been in the process of advancing behind their own barrage in an attempt to recapture some of the ground lost earlier. The Germans hesitated, alarmed as they found themselves confronted by a bigger attack than their own. The Australians opened fire and the enemy broke, pursued by waves of attackers. Following the usual stiff fighting around 'pillboxes', the Australians gained all their objectives on the ridge – though at the cost of 6,500 casualties; the New Zealanders suffered a further 1,700 casualties. Along the whole line the attack had been successful, thereby giving the British forces their first glimpse of the lowlands beyond the top of the ridge since May 1915. Of Broodseinde Charles Bean, Australia's official historian, wrote: "The day's success was a very great one – indeed the most complete yet won by the British Army in France in that war." At the end of world war 1 Ypres and Menin Gate House were totally in ruins.
A long discussion followed between the British and Belgian authorities about what to do with the destroyed city of Ypres. Churchill, then minister of war, wanted to keep Ypres in ruins as a ’sacred place for the British people’. Finally it was decided to rebuild the city in the authentic style and to donate the Menin Gate to the British people. The Menin Gate was where most of the soldiers left Ypres for the battlefields, many never to return. However, all the fallen are here recorded on the Menin Gate walls forever in their remembrance. The CWGC assigned architect Blomfield to build a monument with double purpose: a memorial for the fallen and a monument of the victory. |