Walter Robert Hayes

Walter Robert Hayes

Personal Information
Date of Birth	c1870
Place of Birth	Linton, Victoria
Death	6 Jan 1933, aged 65
Place of Death	Subiaco, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	44 years, 7 months
Description	51'8" (1.m) tall ; 162lbs 73.482 kg ; fair complexion ; grey eyes ; brown hair
Occupation	Importer
Religion	Church of England
Address	Kenwick Park. Maddington, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Wife , Mrs Louisa Hayes
Military Information
Reg Number	1282
Date of Enlistment	19 Jul 1915
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	32nd Battalion, D Company
Date of Embarkation	18 Nov 1915 ‒ 14 Dec 1915
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A2 Geelong
Date of Return	11 Dec 1918 ‒ 20 Jan 1919
Ship Returned On	SS Saxon
Fate	Wounded in Action 19 Jul 1916 Fromelles Returned to Australia
Monument	none as yet
Medals	1914-15 Star British War Medal Victory Medal

War Service

Entered Blackboy Hill camp on 19 Jul 1915, and on 16 Aug 1915 he was allocated to 'D' Company of the 32nd Battalion then being raised in South Australia and Western Australia. Following basic training in Perth the WA companies travelled to Adelaide aboard SS Indarra in late September where further training occurred before they sailed for Egypt.

On arrival in Suez on 14 Dec, they had to wait until 18 Dec before they disembarked at Port Tewfik. Apart from training they spent a time on canal protection before embarking at Alexandria aboard HMT Transylvania on 17 Jun 1916 for Marseilles in France, where they disembarked on 23 Jun 1916. The battalion travelled north to the front via rail wagons and spent a short period in the Armentières Sector before being committed to the front lines for the first time on 16 Jul 1916.

Three days later the 32nd Battalion formed part of the Australian 8th Brigade's initial assault on the extreme left of the attack that became known as the Battle of Fromelles. The battalion suffered 718 casualties on the day, a third of all the casualties they suffered during the war, and 90 percent of its effective strength. Walter was wounded in action during the action on 19 Jul 1916 with a gun shot wound to face, described as slight. Treated by the 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station, and passed to the 13th General Hospital, Boulogne via Ambulance Train on 22 Jul 1916. Subsequently he was evacuated from Boulogne to England on 22 Jul 1916 aboard HMHS St Denis and on arrival was admitted to the 3rd London General Hospital, Wandsworth the next day. He was later transferred to the Red Cross Hospital in Esher on 15 Sep 1916, before being discharged to No.1 Command Depot Perham Downs on 10 Oct 1916. Granted furlough from 11 Oct 1916, he reported back on 27 Oct 1916 and became a member of their permanent cadre. Promoted ER Corporal on 5 Aug 1917, having been medically reclassified C1 on 30 Apr 1917.

On his return to Australia, he was discharged as medically unfit (age) by the 5th Military District on 20 Mar 1919.