HAYES, John

John Hayes was the son of Mr G. and Mrs Clara Hayes of 60 Lawnswood Road, Wordsley. He enlisted in the Worcesters before 1914 and was in the 2nd Battalion stationed at Aldershot as part of the British Expeditionary Force when war broke out. By the 12th August they had landed in France and then moved to Mons. After facing overwhelming enemy forces they were forced to retreat from Mons to the Marne. However, the German forces had over-reached themselves and were forced to retire. After this success the British forces moved north to the Aisne where much fighting took place on the wooded hill-sides of the river Aisne. Private John Hayes was killed in action on the 21st September. He was 31 years of age and is commemorated on the La Ferté-sous-Jouarre and Wordsley Memorials. His younger brother, Alfred, was killed in action on the 17th February 1917.