Hayden, William Joseph

3814 Private William Joseph Hayden - 11th Battalion AIF

William was born in Fremantle on the 21st April 1895 to James and Elizabeth Hayden, being one of eight siblings born into the family.

The family lived in Fremantle and then North Fremantle

Sadly his father died in 1902.

William was the younger brother of James. The family lived in De Lisle Road North Fremantle and William was educated locally. During his school and early work years, William served with the 87B Cadets of the Citizens Military Forces. After his school years had finished William began employment with the Royal Mint in Perth as a Smelter.

On the 21^st August 1915 William went to the Swan Barracks in Perth to enlist in the AIF. He was found to be fit for service with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as; height of 5 feet 5 & ½ inches; weight of 123lbs; chest measurement of 33-35 inches; fresh complexion; blue eyes and light brown hair. His religious denomination was Roman Catholic.

Upon his successful enlistment William was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to No.26 Training Depot. He was in this depot for six weeks and on the 16^th October William was transferred into the 12^th Reinforcements to the 11^th Battalion AIF. He had another five weeks of training with this group in Perth but on the 22^nd November 1915 William and his group entrained for Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the RMS Mongolia. The journey to Egypt took over three weeks and they arrived in mid December. After being disembarked William was sent into the 3^rd Training Battalion. He spent the first two months of 1916 with this training unit but joined “B” Company of the 11^th Battalion on the 2^nd March 1916. The 11^th Battalion embarked from Egypt on the 29^th March 1916 bound for France, disembarking in Marseilles on the 5^th April 1916.

The 11^th Battalion, as part of the 1^st Australian Division, was sent to the Fleurbaix sector of the Western Front where they would gain experience in front line activities. On the 6^th June William was admitted to hospital for dental work but soon rejoined his unit.

The 11^th Battalion played a major role in the capture of Pozieres village during the Somme battle of July 22^nd 1916. During the action William was initially reported missing, and then wounded and missing. The severe German bombardment caused many casualties among the Australians and William was blown up by a shell and suffered concussion and shell shock. On the 23^rd July he was admitted to the 2^nd Field Ambulance and then sent to the 3^rd General Hospital at Le Treport. He only had a few days here for on the 27^th July William was sent to England where he was admitted to the 4^th London General Hospital.

His shell shocked condition was serious and William remained in this hospital until the 16^th October 1916. He was then transported to Southampton where he was put aboard the Hospital Ship Karoola for the voyage home to Australia. William arrived in Fremantle on the 2^nd December 1916. He was initially sent to No.8 Australian General Hospital for a medical check up and was discharged from the AIF on the 23^rd March 1917.

His brother James Hayden died in France in 1918.

After returning home from the war William resumed his work at the Perth Mint but then tried his hand at farming and in 1921 was at Meenar before moving to Toodyay/Gabbin in 1925.

In 1926 William married in Northam to  Ada Gobbart and a son Leslie was born in 1929.

He remained farming out at Gabbin until the 1940's.

They moved to Mt Lawley for a time during World War Two but then returned to Gabbin, residing there till 1958.

They then returned to Mt Lawley. William died on the 2nd January 1964 at Mt Lawley aged 67. He was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery Plot Roman Catholic JC 0108C.