Personal Details | |
Date of Birth | July 15, 1892 |
Place of Birth | Luton, Bedfordshire |
Country | England |
Marital Status | Single |
Next of Kin | Alfred Hayward, Sugar Loaf Hotel, Luton Bedfordshire, England |
Trade / Calling | Engineer |
Religion | Church of England |
Service Details | |
Regimental Number | A39031 |
Service Record | Link to Service Record |
Battalion | District 53 Company 1 |
Force | Canadian Expeditionary Force |
Branch | Canadian Forestry Corps |
Enlisted / Conscripted | Enlisted |
Date of Enlistment | December 21, 1914 |
Age at Enlistment | 22 |
Theatre of Service | Great Britain |
Prisoner of War | No |
Survived War | Yes |
Death Details |
Ernest Dee Hayward was born on 15 July 1892 in Luton, Bedfordshire, England. His parents were Alfred Hayward and Emma Jane Dee. Siblings included: Alfred William (b. 1883), George Harold (b. 1884), Laurence Victor (b. 1888), Violet Eliza (b. 1890), Margaret Ellen (b. 1891), Edwin Claridge (b. 1893), and Noel Stephen (b. 1896). Ernest’s father, Albert, was a licensed victualler (person licensed to sell alcohol) and proprietor of the Sugar Loaf Hotel in Luton.
In August of 1911 Ernest followed his brother Edwin who had immigrated to Canada. They both ended up in Kenora, Ontario.
Edwin and Ernest enlisted with the 3rd contingent for overseas service on 21 December 1914. At the time, Ernest was employed as an engineer and Edwin was a ‘motion picture operator’. By June of 1915 they were both off to Port Arthur to train with the 52nd Battalion. Their unit arrived in England on 14 September 1915.
Ernest had hammer toes on both feet so he was classified B3 (capable of sedentary work as a clerk). Upon his arrival in England he was placed with the 12th Battalion. On 01 April 1916 he was appointed Lance Corporal at Shorncliffe. In July of 1916 Ernest was seconded to the Canadian Military Staff as an instructor. In January 1917 he was transferred to the Lord Strathcona Horse in East Sandling. In March 1917 Ernest transferred to the Canadian Reserve Cavalry Regiment and returned to Shorncliffe. Finally, on 21 May 1917 he transferred to the Canadian Forestry Corps and served as a Sergeant with District 53 (formerly District 3), Company 1 in England until his discharge on 06 June 1919 at which time he returned to the family run Sugar Loaf Hotel in Luton.
Ernest married Ellen Elizabeth Stangroom in 1927 in Biscot, Bedfordshire, England. Little is known of his life after this, however, there is an Ernest D. Hayward who died in 1967 at St. Ives, Huntingdonshire, who may be the Ernest Dee Hayward in this report.
Ernest’s brother, Edwin, served in France with the 4th Battalion until an infected foot invalided him back to England where he too joined the Canadian Forestry Corps.