Name
Alfred Edward Hayes (*1)
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
14/10/1918
36
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Gunner
15493
Royal Field Artillery
73rd Bty. 5th Bde.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ST. SEVER CEMETERY EXTENSION, ROUEN
S. II. V. 9.
France
Headstone Inscription
NOT AS I WILL BUT AS THOU WILT
UK & Other Memorials
Harpenden Town Memorial, Church of St Nicholas ROH, Harpenden, Diocese - Book of Remembrance, St Albans Cathedral, St Albans (*1), Diocese of St Albans - ROH, St Albans Cathedral, St Albans (*1)
Pre War
Alfred Edward was born in 1882 in Hackney to William Hayes.
The 1901 Census records him as a Gunner at Deepcut Barracks, Frimley, Surrey in 50 Brigade RFA.
In 1917 he married Sarah Elizabeth Goodson. An address for Sarah (as Hayes) is 1, Seaside Cottages, Willoughby Rd., Harpenden.
Wartime Service
Alfred enlisted in the Royal Field Artillery. He was probably a regular as he went to France on 23 Aug 1914.
He was serving with 73 Battery 5 Brigade Royal Field Artillery when he died of wounds on 14 Oct 1918 during the final advances of the war.
Additional Information
His widow, Mrs S E Hayes, 1, Seaside Cottages, Willoughby Rd., Harpenden, Herts., ordered his headstone inscription: “NOT AS I WILL BUT AS THOU WILT”. War Gratuity of £24 and arrears of £30 6s 6d paid to his widow.
*1 We believe this man appears as Alfred Edward Haynes(sic) in the St Albans Cathedral Diocese records. This assumption is supported by the fact that, where recorded on the memorials and in the Dioceses records, both names are in the Royal Field Artillery.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild, Mary Skinner, Harpenden & District Local History Society (www.harpenden-history.org.uk)
