John Hayley, C Social 1910. Rifleman, 116th Bn, London Regiment, formerly Canadian Expeditionary Force.  Died of wounds received in the Battle of Arras.

After school, he emigrated to Canada, where he worked for the Dominion Express Company in Calgary.  He joined up in December 1914, and arrived from Canada in November 1915, two months after his brother was killed.

He was granted a commission in the 3rd Batt. Arg. and Suth. Highrs., but thinking too much time was being occupied in an officer’s training, and obsessed with the one idea of getting to the Front to avenge his brother’s death, he resigned his commission and joined the Queen’s Westminsters, 16th London Regiment, qualified as a marksman, and left for France with a draft on January 3rd, 1917. He died in France at a Base Hospital on the 30th April, from wounds received in action near Arras on the 15th April, 1917.  He was detailed that night with others to take an enemy machine gun that had been annoying our troops, and got to within fifty yards of it when, as he wrote, he “stopped one,” but really the bullet went through his chest and he had great difficulty in regaining our lines.

Aged 21