A Wooden Cross

[Guest wrinklyone]

Visiting an English parish churchyard in the last few days, I came across a wooden cross, of the type used on the front. The base had rotted away and it had been laid on what appeared to be a family grave. As far as I could decipher, the wording was:

R.I.P.

**** Gr M Hayward

1(?) Batty

Killed in Action

26th Nov

1915(?)

Aged 35

I have been unable to locate this man on CWGC. Has anyone any suggestions as to how I can identify him please?

Forgive me if, for security reasons, I do not publish the exact location.

[Milner]

He is on CWGC. the dates and unit fit

Name: HAYWARD, MAURICE

Initials: M

Nationality: Canadian

Rank: Corporal

Regiment/Service: Canadian Field Artillery

Unit Text: 1st Bde.

Age: 33

Date of Death: 26/11/1915

Service No: 40183

Additional information: Son of the Rev. H. B. Hayward, of Winstone, Cirencester, England.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: IV. A. 20.

Cemetery: WULVERGHEM-LINDENHOEK ROAD MILITARY CEMETERY

Regards Phil

[gnr.ktrha]

Hello,

Here is a link to his service papers-

http://data4.collectionscanada.ca/netacgi/..._e.html&r=1&f=G

Hope it works, if not copy and paste into the address box.

Regards,

Stewart

[Guest wrinklyone]

Thanks guys. I had assumed he was a Brit.

[Andrew Hesketh]

Forgive me if, for security reasons, I do not publish the exact location.

Sensible idea.

[Owen D]

Wonder if this chap is a relative?

Name: HAYWARD, BENJAMIN EDWIN PERCY

Initials: B E P

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Private

Regiment/Service: Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment)

Unit Text: 7th Bn.

Age: 19

Date of Death: 20/02/1917

Service No: 24611

Additional information: Son of William and Ada Hayward, of Winstone, Cirencester, Glos.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: VII. C. 30.

Cemetery: REGINA TRENCH CEMETERY, GRANDCOURT

Fromhttp://www.rootsweb.com/~engcots/WinstonePhotos.html

[Owen D]

Thanks guys. I had assumed he was a Brit.

Born a Brit!

Son of the Rev. H. B. Hayward, of Winstone, Cirencester, England

[SMG65]

About 10 years ago I found a wooden celtic cross lying under a tree, rotting away in a Darlington cemetery.

It was to Pte H MAJOR, Z Coy, 4th Batt Yorkshire Regiment, KIA - 16/07/17.

A check with the CWGC confirmed this soldier and he is buried in Heninel, Arras.

On the balance of probabilities, this cross is his original grave marker brought home by friends or family to lie in his home town cemetery.

I wrote to the council about the state of the cross and offered to clean it up.

They wrote back, telling me I could take it.

I researched Pte MAJOR, got his medal card/medal roll and the war diary entry for the time of his death. I also visited his grave, those who have been to the Arras area know what I mean when I say the cemetery is a small isolated affair stuck in the middle of a field, quite sad and beautiful.

I collected the cross, cleaned it up and took it to the curator of Darlington Museum, a carpenter by trade. He promised to do wonders with it, did nothing and after a year I got it back from him.

I could of kept the cross but I felt that I would be in some way profiteering from this soldier.

I therefore presented it to his regimental museum, the Green Howards in Richmond. They still have it and although they don't display it, they do look after it. I believe that it is a fitting resting place for the cross.

It makes me wonder how many other crosses are out there in cemeteries, forgotten and rotting away.

Should an organisation such as the WFA save them for future generations?

Sean

[DCLI]

About 10 years ago I found a wooden celtic cross lying under a tree, rotting away in a Darlington cemetery.

It was to Pte H MAJOR, Z Coy, 4th Batt Yorkshire Regiment, KIA - 16/07/17.

A check with the CWGC confirmed this soldier and he is buried in Heninel, Arras.

On the balance of probabilities, this cross is his original grave marker brought home by friends or family to lie in his home town cemetery.

I wrote to the council about the state of the cross and offered to clean it up.

They wrote back, telling me I could take it.

I researched Pte MAJOR, got his medal card/medal roll and the war diary entry for the time of his death. I also visited his grave, those who have been to the Arras area know what I mean when I say the cemetery is a small isolated affair stuck in the middle of a field, quite sad and beautiful.

I collected the cross, cleaned it up and took it to the curator of Darlington Museum, a carpenter by trade. He promised to do wonders with it, did nothing and after a year I got it back from him.

I could of kept the cross but I felt that I would be in some way profiteering from this soldier.

I therefore presented it to his regimental museum, the Green Howards in Richmond. They still have it and although they don't display it, they do look after it. I believe that it is a fitting resting place for the cross.

It makes me wonder how many other crosses are out there in cemeteries, forgotten and rotting away.

Should an organisation such as the WFA save them for future generations?

Sean

My grandmother kept her bother in-laws cross, with name, rank, number and unit (MGC) on the old style punch metal strips you used to find at railway stations. She still had it in the 60s. As children we found it a bit scary. Years later, when I became interested in the Great War, we heard she had burnt it. I have the naming plates though - sad isn't it?