No.S/23369, Rifleman, John Charles HAYHOE
Aged 37
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John Charles Hayhoe was born in Soham on 20th December 1880 (Newmarket Q1-1881 3B:551), baptised in Soham on 28th January 1881, son of John Cotton and Ann
HAYHOE (née LAMBERT) of East Fen Common, Soham.
1881 census...Aged 3 months, he was at East Fen Common with his father John HAYHOE [49] farm labourer; his mother Ann [46]; brothers Samuel [13], Harry [7] and George [2]; sisters Agnes [11] and Lucy [9]. They were all born in Soham. 1891 census...Aged 10, as Charles Hayhoe, he was at East Fen Common, Soham with his parents and brother George (shepherd boy). 1901 census...Aged 20, a farm labourer, he was at East Fen Common with his widowed mother and niece Agnes HAYHOE [7] born Bridge, Canterbury, Kent. (parents not found). On 25th December 1901 in Lambeth, he married Ada Sarah MUNNINGS (b.30-7-1879). Their children were Florence (1-11-01) born Soham, Harry William (21-1-04), George Edward (11-12-05) and Winifred Lucy (18-2-10), the last three all born in London. 1911 census...Aged 30, a labourer, he was at 4 Heron Street, St Mary Newington, Walworth London with his wife Ada Sarah [31] born Bramford, Suffolk; daughters Florence [9] born Soham and Winifred Lucy [1] born Walworth; sons Harry William [7] born Camberwell and George Edward [5] born Walworth. |
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Enlisted in London. Attested on 21st January 1916, giving his date of borth as 20th December 1880, a dust destructor from 4 Heiron St, Walworth.
He was 5 feet 5.5 inches (166.4 cm) tall, weighed 168 lbs (76.4kg), chest 35" to 37" (88.9 to 94 cm), brown eyes, brown hair, Church of England.
Not all his Army record is legible but it seems that he was in the 6th Battalion, Rifle Brigade on 25th June 1916, embarking with them at
Southampton on 14th November 1916, arriving Le Havre the next day and being posted to the 8th Battalion. He joined the 1st Battalion on 20th September
1917. He was reported wounded and missing on 13th October 1917 and his death was presumed on or since that date. The rest of his paperwork is badly faded.
De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour has:- HAYHOE, JOHN CHARLES, Rifleman. No.S/23369, A Coy.,1st Battn. The Rifle Brigade(The Prince Consort's Own), s.of the late John (and Ann) Hayhoe; b. Soham, co.Cambridge, 20 Dec.1879; educ.there; was employed by the borough of Southwark; enlisted 21 June 1916; served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from 14 Nov.following, and died at Langemarck 13 Oct.1917, from wounds received in action there the same day. He m. at St Mary's Church, Lambeth, S.E., 25 Dec.1901, Ada (4 Heiron St, Walworth, S.E.,) dau. of Charles Munnings, of Soham. War Diary summary:- On the afternoon of the 11th the Battalion moved to Candle Trench, (C.8.b.2.9.) and after dark moved up and relieved the 2nd Essex round Louis Farm (U.24.c.5.9.) - Battalion H.Q. was in the concrete tunnel there. During the night, the Battalion being the 1st Reserve Battalion, moved forward to the assembly position West of the Poelcappelle - Conde Road. The Household Battalion and the 1st Royal Warwickshires were the assaulting Battalions with the 1st Battn. Kings Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) in support. The attack was launched at 5.25 a.m. on the 12th "B" and "I" Companies supported by "A" and "C" followed 300 yards behind the supporting Battalion. Though the attacking troops of the 12th Brigade were progressing satisfactorily the 18th Division on the right were unable to capture the brewery and fortified houses of Poelcappelle, the result being that the right flank of the 12th Brigade was completely exposed and was subjected to very heavy machine gun fire. Immediately a Defensive Flank was formed by "I" Company and one or two platoons of the supporting unit, from Requette Farm to U.13.d.7.3. "C" Company supported "I" while "A" and "B" on reaching their objective dug in from Compromis Farm to Landing Farm, U.13.b.1.3. During the evening the enemy launched several counter-attacks which failed to bring him any results and re-organisation took place during the night and the Battalion became Support Battalion. "A" and "B" Companies pushed forward and occupied a line Bower House - Besace Farm and Landing Farm, U.8.c.0.4. - U.13.b.9.9. - U.13.b.7.1. "I" Company's right was relieved and dropped back in support 150 yards; "C" Company remained in support to all companies. At 6.0 p.m. on the 13th the Brigade was relieved and the Battalion came back to Leipzig Camp, West of the Canal. The weather throughout these days very bad. The following casualties were sustained during this period:-Capt. R. Leetman Killed, 2/Lieut. J.B. Greenup Killed 2/Lieut. C.R. Philip Wounded. Other Ranks: Killed 31, Wounded 101, Missing 26 - Total 158
The farms referred to above
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