Claude HAYSOM MM*

HAYSOM, Claude

    Service Number: 9343
    Enlisted: 13 July 1915, Enlisted at Melbourne, Victoria
    Last Rank: Driver
    Last Unit: 2nd Motor Transport Company
    Born: Carlton, Victoria, Australia, 15 June 1890
    Home Town: Coleraine, Southern Grampians, Victoria
    Schooling: Not yet discovered
    Occupation: Chauffeur, Mechanic
    Memorials:
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    World War 1 Service

    13 Jul 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Driver, 9343, Motor Drivers, Enlisted at Melbourne, Victoria
    12 Jan 1916: Involvement 9343, Motor Drivers, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '24' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Medic embarkation_ship_number: A7 public_note: ''
    12 Jan 1916: Embarked 9343, Motor Drivers, HMAT Medic, Sydney
    12 Mar 1918: Transferred AIF WW1, Driver, 2nd Motor Transport Company, In France
    9 Aug 1918: Honoured Military Medal and bar, Citation reads, Military Medal: On the morning of August 9th, 1918 during the operations carried out by 2nd and 5th Australian Division East of Amiens, this driver was evacuating wounded from Regimental Aid Posts in front of Harbonnieres to the Advanced Dressing Station. For two hours the village was continuously shelled and was evacuated by all troops in the vicinity and, although two cars had already been put out of action on this route, he carried on with complete disregard of danger until an avoiding road was discovered. To his efforts the successful evacuation of many wounded was entirely due. His bravery and courage were beyond all praise London Gazette on 24 January 1919, page 1252 at position 5 Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 23 May 1919, page 898, position 34 Bar to Military Medal, Reads:- This soldier on 34d October, 1918, during the fighting north of St. Quentin displayed great bravery under fire. Though he had already been driving continuously for 16 hours he repaired his tyres under shell fire, and replaced the back wheel which had been destroyed by a shell burst, thus ensuring the evacuation of 20 stretcher cases which would otherwise have been held up. He then went forward with his car through a heavily shelled village at night. The road was blocked with debris, but nothing daunted, he cleared a way for his car, and established a Motor Loading Post beyond the village, through which he drove his car under shell fire until all wounded had been evacuated London Gazette on 17 June 1919, page 7646, position 6 Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 10 October 1919, page 1493, position 31
    13 Sep 1919: Transferred AIF WW1, Driver, 2nd Motor Transport Company, Discharged at the 3rd Military District

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    Biography contributed by Carol Foster

    Next of kin given as a friend J.J. Johnson of 'Koorine', Coleraine, Victoria

    Returned to Australia on 27 July 1919 aboard HT Rio Negro

    Medals: Military Medal & Bar, British War Medal, Victory Medal

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