Category: Military
Rank: Private 51231
Regiment or Ship: 4 Coy. 16th Battalion Canadian Infantry (Manitoba Regiment)
Service Number(s): 51231
Occupation: Wood & Stone Carver (1901 census)
Date of Birth: 29.10.1882
Place of Birth: Hooe, near Bexhill, East Sussex
Date of Death: 23.04.1915
Place of Death: Ypres
Place of Burial / Memorials:
Poperinghe Old Military Cemetery, Belgium (Grave/Memorial reference II. M. 35).
Address: The Mount, Hooe, East Sussex
Photos and newspaper articles
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Family Information
Parents:
Richard William Hayward, born 1842, in Hackney, London, married Susannah Blake, born in Bethnal Green, in 1852. In the spring of 1871, they married in Hackney but moved to Hooe, Sussex, sometime in 1876 or 1877, where they lived at “The Mount” (also known as “Quiddleswell Mount”).
Siblings:
Beatrice Freeman Hayward, born 1874, in Hackney, Middlesex
Alfred Robert Hayward, born 1875, in Hackney, Middlesex
Stephen Richard Hayward, born 1877, in Hooe, East Sussex
Emmeline Susannah Hayward, born 1878, in Hooe, East Sussex
Margaret Elizabeth Hayward, 1870, in Hooe, East Sussex
No record has been found of Arthur Charles Hayward ever marrying.
First World War Experience
Arthur Charles Hayward emigrated to Canada in 1904. As he had always had a strong desire for a military career, he joined the 12th Manitoba Dragoons, (a Militia unit), and served with them for two years. Later, he joined the Royal Canadian Mounted Rifles, based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, but served for only 6 months before moving to California to take on the position of Ranch Manager. When the war in Europe broke out he immediately gave up his job and went to Victoria, in British Columbia, where he joined the 88th Regiment of the Victoria Fusiliers.
He was one of many in the Fusiliers who were drafted from that regiment to England to reinforce Princess Patricia’s Light Infantry. On arrival on Salisbury Plain however, they were instead attached to the 16th Battalion (Canadian Scottish), which was part of the “Canadian Expeditionary Force” (CEF) and this became part of the 1st Division.
The 16th Canadian Infantry Battalion was organized at Valcartier under Camp Order 241 of 2 September 1914 and was composed of recruits from Victoria, Vancouver, Winnipeg and Hamilton. The battalion was commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel R.G.E. Leckie.
The First Canadian Division sailed for France at the beginning of February, 1915, under the command of Lieutenant-General Alderson, an Imperial officer who had been appointed to command the Canadians. After a stormy passage through the Bay of Biscay, they landed at St. Nazaire, in the south of France, and for the best part of three months, they were able to spend their time training in trench warfare.
In the middle of April, the Canadian Division took over control of a sector to the north of Ypres, in Belgian Flanders, from the French. It was at this time that trench warfare had reached a comparative deadlock, with neither side being able to advance.
The Germans had hoped for a quick result in their favour, so, in an attempt to break the deadlock, they brought into use a new weapon, poison gas.
In the late afternoon of April 22nd, the German artillery heavily bombarded the front line to the left of the Canadian troops. An hour later they opened the valves on 5700 cylinders of chlorine gas, and long yellow clouds of asphyxiating gas were released to drift across “no mans land” and into the French lines. The French colonial troops, who were on the immediate left of the Canadians, were swept back by the poisonous fumes and three German divisions swept into the gap, threatening the Canadians’ left flank of outnumbering them by at least five to one.
It is probable that Arthur Hayward was caught in the gas cloud, on the 22nd and died of the effects of the gas on the 23rd – though the diaries of the 16th Battalion do not mention gas.
On his headstone, in addition to the usual details, there is simply Pro Patria requested by his family.
As for the details of his wounds although not recorded on the on-line database, the records of Poperinghe Cemetery register says “ Died of Wounds (Gas)”.
The “Bexhill Chronicle”, on 29th May 1915 under the heading “Roll of Honour”, has a list of those who had volunteered and the branch of the service in which they were enlisted. Against Arthur’s name, appear the words, “Canadian Regiment (killed at Hill 60)”.
Additional Information
The battalion embarked at Quebec on 30th September 1914 aboard ANDANIA, disembarking in England on 14th October 1914. Its strength was 47 officers, 1111 other ranks. The battalion arrived in France on 7th February 1915, becoming part of the 1st Canadian Division, 3rd Infantry Brigade. It was later reinforced by the 14th Canadian Reserve Battalion, and later by the 11th Canadian Reserve Battalion. The battalion returned to England on 27th March 1919, disembarked in Canada on 4th May 1919, was demobilized on 8th May 1919, and was disbanded by General Order 149 of 15th September 1920.