Pte
William Thomas Hayward
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 29/02/1888 |
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Place of birth: Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
General information
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Last known residence: 84 Franklin Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
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Profession: Leather cutter |
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Religion: Methodist |
Army information
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Country: Canada |
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Force: Canadian Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 678334 |
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Enlistment date: 30/01/1916 |
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Enlistment place: Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
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Units: — Canadian Infantry, 20th Bn. (Central Ontario) (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 11/11/1917 |
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Place of death: Vindictive Cross Roads, Passchendaele, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 29 |
Memorial
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Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial Panel: 26 K |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 5
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Last known residence | ||
| #3 | Place of work | ||
| #4 | Enlistment place | ||
| #5 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
William Thomas Hayward, born 29 February 1988 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, was the only child of William and Louisa Hayward. On 22 September 1908, he married Grace Frederica Halsey with whom he had two children: a son Marvin and a daughter Evelyn. William was working at Samuel Trees' Leather Goods Manufacturing Company when he enlisted in the Canadian Expeditonary Force in Toronto on 30 January 1916.
He left Canada on 17 October 1916 after which he received further training in England. After his training, William was assigned to the 20th Battalion, part of the 4th Brigade of the 2nd Canadian Division. In August 1917, he was wounded in his back and left arm.
In November 1917, the 2nd Canadian Division took part in the Battle of Passchendaele. At 4am on 8 November 1917, the order came for the 20th Battalion to move to the front on the ridge at Passchendaele. Due to miscommunication, heavy shelling and the condition of the terrain, they did not arrive until the early morning of 9 November. The battalion had been on the move for almost 24 hours. Two companies held a line at Vindictive Cross Roads north of Passchendaele. They dug new trenches under heavy shelling after which the other two companies followed overnight. Constant rain quickly flooded the trenches, so badly that the men left them at night to lie out in the open. On 10 November, the 1st Canadian Division took the heights north of Passchendaele. In doing so, the 20th Battalion supported the right flank of the 7th Battalion of the 1st Canadian Division. After the attack, the 20th Battalion had to be relieved, but heavy shelling made this impossible. The next day, the ridge was again heavily shelled by German artillery. It would eventually take until 12 November before the 20th Battalion could be relieved.
William Thomas Hayward was hit in the head by shrapnel on 11 November and succumbed minutes later. The 29-year-old was buried near the positions at Vindictive Cross Roads, Passchendaele. The grave was later lost or his remains were not identified. He is commemorated today on panel 26 K of the Menin Gate.
He left Canada on 17 October 1916 after which he received further training in England. After his training, William was assigned to the 20th Battalion, part of the 4th Brigade of the 2nd Canadian Division. In August 1917, he was wounded in his back and left arm.
In November 1917, the 2nd Canadian Division took part in the Battle of Passchendaele. At 4am on 8 November 1917, the order came for the 20th Battalion to move to the front on the ridge at Passchendaele. Due to miscommunication, heavy shelling and the condition of the terrain, they did not arrive until the early morning of 9 November. The battalion had been on the move for almost 24 hours. Two companies held a line at Vindictive Cross Roads north of Passchendaele. They dug new trenches under heavy shelling after which the other two companies followed overnight. Constant rain quickly flooded the trenches, so badly that the men left them at night to lie out in the open. On 10 November, the 1st Canadian Division took the heights north of Passchendaele. In doing so, the 20th Battalion supported the right flank of the 7th Battalion of the 1st Canadian Division. After the attack, the 20th Battalion had to be relieved, but heavy shelling made this impossible. The next day, the ridge was again heavily shelled by German artillery. It would eventually take until 12 November before the 20th Battalion could be relieved.
William Thomas Hayward was hit in the head by shrapnel on 11 November and succumbed minutes later. The 29-year-old was buried near the positions at Vindictive Cross Roads, Passchendaele. The grave was later lost or his remains were not identified. He is commemorated today on panel 26 K of the Menin Gate.
Sources 6
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Census of Canada, 1901, (Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa (LAC), RG31-C-1, T-6428 to T-6556). https://library-archives.canada.ca/ Sources used |
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Census of Canada, 1911, (Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa (LAC), RG31-C-1, T-20326 to T-20460). https://library-archives.canada.ca/ Sources used |
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Circumstances of Death Registers, First World War (Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa (LAC), RG150, 1992-93/314, boxes 145-238). https://library-archives.canada.ca/ Sources used |
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Personnel Records of the First World War (Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa (LAC),Acc 1992-93/166, RG 150). https://library-archives.canada.ca/ Sources used |
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Registrations of Marriages, 1869-1928 (Archives of Ontario, Toronto, Ms932, Reel: 133). https://library-archives.canada.ca/ Sources used |
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War diaries: 20th Battalion, Canadian Infantry, (Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa (LAC), RG9-III-D-3, Volume number: 4930, Microfilm reel number: T-10730, File number: 409,part1). https://library-archives.canada.ca/ Sources used |
More information 4
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/1592928 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=f02cace0-212a-45de-9094-1b906b60c2e2 |
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The Canadian Virtual War Memorial https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/1592928 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/5929439 |