Hayden, James Edward
No.6093 – Private James Edward Hayden – 28th Battalion
James Edward Hayden was born in Fremantle WA in 1888 to James and Elizabeth Hayden. He was one of five children and the family lived in De Lisle Rd North Fremantle and James was educated locally. After leaving school he took up work as a Clerk with Millars and George Willis & Co. In 1915 he married a Kathleen Egan in Perth and in that year they had a daughter whom they also called Kathleen. At this time, he was living at William Street Mt Hawthorn.
On the 8th July 1916 James went to the Perth Drill Hall to enlist in the AIF. He was medically examined and passed as fit with the doctor finding James to be 5 feet 7 & ½ inches tall; weight of 122 lbs; chest measurement of 32-34 inches; fresh complexion; blue eyes and brown hair. His religious denomination was Roman Catholic.
After a short time in the depot at Blackboy Hill Camp, James was allotted to the 18th Reinforcements to the 28th Battalion though on the 4th September he was transferred to the 17th Reinforcements to the 28th Battalion. He trained with this group in WA until the 9th November 1916 when he boarded the H.M.A.T. “Argyllshire” in Fremantle Harbour and set sail for overseas. The journey to England took two months and during the voyage James got into trouble for going absent without leave when they called into ports along the way. He was confined to this ships’ cabin for one and two days respectively for his misdemeanour.
The ship eventually arrived at Devonport England on the 10th January 1917; and after being disembarked the men were marched into the 7th Training Battalion at Rollestone Camp on the Salisbury Plains. James spent the next several months here during which time he was also given leave to see the sights of England. On the 3rd April 1917 James was charged with disorderly conduct and was confined to camp for two days. On the 9th April he was again charged for causing a disturbance after lights out. He was again confined to camp for two days. On the 20th April James went absent from a parade and was again given two days of confined to camp as a punishment.
After five months in England it was finally time to proceed to France and on the 22nd May, James left Southampton in an AIF reinforcement group. After arriving at Etaples on the 23rd May, James was marched into the 2nd Australian Division Base Depot at Le Havre. He remained here for a few more weeks but was officially taken on strength of the 28th Battalion on the 12th June 1917. The 28th Battalion were then out of the line on a three month rest period during which time they concentrated on training activities.
On the 31st July 1917 James was admitted to the 38th General Hospital at St Omer where he was diagnosed as suffering from Trench Fever. James remained in France for two weeks but was then sent to England, being admitted to the Beaufort War Hospital in Bristol. On the 20th August 1917 he was admitted to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford and a few days later he was discharged to No.2 Command Depot at Weymouth. While in this camp, James was classified as temporarily unfit for active service and so remained in camp. On the 26th November he went absent without leave for a day but only had to forfeit one day’s pay as a punishment. On the 4th October 1917 he marched out to No.3 Command Depot and was classified as B1 fitness.
James remained in England for the remainder of 1917 and on the 4th January was classified as A3 fitness so he could once again be sent to France. On the 23rd January he marched out to the Overseas Training Brigade and on the 9th February 1918 to the 6th Training Battalion at Fovant. He remained here for a couple of months and on the 22nd April 1918 was then transferred to the 5th Training Battalion. James remained here for a further two and a half months and finally on the 8th July 1918 he was sent to France. On the 12th July he reached the Australian Infantry Base Depot at Le Havre though he only remained here for a few days. James rejoined the 28th Battalion on the 17th July 1918.
The 28th Battalion were then on the Somme front near Villers-Bretoneux and had just captured Monument Wood from the Germans. James had just arrived in time to take part in the large offensive which was to take place on August 8th, when Australian, British, Canadian and French units launched an assault on the Germans in front of Amiens. The attack was a large success with the 28th Battalion taking all their objectives.
A few days after the offensive launch, the 28th Battalion were tasked with another attack on Framerville on the 11th August. At 4.15am the assault was launched, and James, part of C Company was a signaller attached to the Machine Gun section. Quite soon after the attack was launched James was hit in the stomach by a machine gun bullet. His section mates did what they could to bandage him up bit it was clear that James was mortally hit and he died soon after. At the time he could not be buried due to the heavy German fire but members of the 24th Battalion later buried him under a cross.
After the war his grave was located and he was reburied in Heath Cemetery Harbonnieres in plot D.13
His brother William also served in the Great War with the 11th Battalion and returned to Fremantle in 1917