Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Alan Newcombe Hyett was born on 26th October 1889 at Sandhurst VIC, the 2nd eldest son and 4 child of 9 children born to his parents Barkly and Elizabeth (Bessie) Hyett.  His older siblings were Claude, Lucy and Annie with younger siblings Reginald (Rex), Rupert, Dorothy, Irene and Cecil.  Lucy, Annie and Irene all died in infancy.  As a child Alan learned to play the violin. 

He began his education at the Gravel Hill State School and afterwards attended St Andrew's College, Sandhurst Corporate High School, and Caulfield Grammar School.  On matriculation he followed in his father’s footsteps and entered as a law student at Ormond College at Melbourne University.  In 1911 he attained the degree of L.L.B…Bachelor of Laws and after serving his articles in his father's office he was admitted to the bar in 1913.

Early in 1914 Alan visited Great Britain and Europe and was on the Continent when the war broke out.  On his return to Australia in October 1914 his father took him into partnership, the firm being known as Hyett and Hyett.  He was secretary of the Bendigo Law Association and a member of the Bendigo YMCA as well as being a committed member of the local St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. 

The following year in July his brother Rex enlisted for WW1 with the field artillery and in July 1917 his other brother Rupert, a doctor, served with the AAMC.  Alan also felt the call and although he had had no military experience, he enlisted on 26th January 1916 at Bendigo VIC aged 26.  He’s described as being 5ft 8ins tall with a fair complexion, blue eyes and fair hair.  His service number was 285, his rank Private and he was assigned to the 38th Infantry Battalion A Company.  He proceeded to Bendigo Camp where he was promoted to Corporal on 1st May 1916.  A few days later the battalion moved to Broadmeadows Camp then Alan, with the battalion, embarked from Melbourne on 20th June 1916 on HMAT Runic.  That same day Alan was promoted to Lance Sergeant.  Upon arrival in England on 10th August 1916 he disembarked at Plymouth and proceeded to Larkhill Camp on the Salisbury Plain.  While there he was selected from the battalion for the officers' school at Tidworth.  When the examination was held Alan did so well that he secured second place out of 82 candidates.  His Commanding Officer spoke of his performance as “brilliant" which was quite an achievement considering that many of his competitors had had much more military experience.  He was about 3 months at Tidworth and was promoted to Sergeant in mid-October 1916 before embarking from Southampton for France on 22nd November 1916.  He was therefore in the trenches during the dreary and trying winter which followed.

Upon arrival in France the battalion proceeded to Armentieres where they saw their first action at the frontline after relieving the NZ troops in early December 1916.  After a second stint at the frontline relieving the 40th Battalion they retired for a rest to Chateau Rose at Houplines then once again faced the frontline in late December 1916. 

In early January 1917 Alan received his commission in the field.  In late January the battalion proceeded to Armentieres and then to Bois Grenier in mid-February 1917.  While there Alan was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant.  In late April 1917 the battalion moved to Ploegsteert, Belgium, where they relieved several Battalions at the frontline during April and May.  In late May Alan was detached for duty with the 3rd Pioneer Battalion at Armentieres.  They moved to Nieppe in late May and then to Ploegsteert, Belgium, on 1st June 1917.  The next day as Alan was riding a bike along a road a big shell fell and exploded right in front of him killing him instantly.  He was aged 27.  He was buried in the Strand Military Cemetery at Ploegsteert, Belgium.

Alan’s father received a letter from his Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Davis, in which he shared the following: "It is with deep regret that I have to inform you of the death of your son Alan, on the 2nd instant.  He was not with this Battalion at the time, as he had been detailed by Division for special duty.  He was riding along the road on a bicycle when a big shell fell right in front of him killing him instantly.  We all deplore his loss greatly.  He was much loved by his comrades, and even for the short time he had been away from us attached to the Pioneer Battalion, he made many friends.  Colonel Law, in writing to me, expressing deep regret at his loss, asked me to express his sympathy with you.  He says: "All in this mess feel that we have lost a fine comrade," and tells of a touching incident that occurred.  The Belgian interpreter attached to the Pioneer Battalion, who shared the same room as Alan, when news of his death was brought to him, covered his bed with violets as a mark of the esteem in which he held him.  Alan showed great promise in his work here.  He was a fine, brave and loyal soldier, and his loss to us is a severe one.  I know how you all will grieve at his loss.  Yet another fine young life sacrificed in this dreadful war.  The sympathy of all his comrades here who knew and loved him so well goes out to you and yours in your affliction."

The Belgian interpreter that Lieutenant-Colonel Davis spoke of, wrote a moving letter to Alan’s father in August 1921…his name was Leon Courouble. 

When the news of Alan’s death was heard there were many moving tributes made in his honour.  The following are just a few of them. 

“Alan Hyett was held in very high esteem by his many friends in Bendigo and Melbourne. All who knew him intimately admired his manly Christian character. His qualities as a soldier are spoken of in the highest terms. He was a very efficient Officer, and beloved by his men. In one of his most recent letters his Commanding Officer paid a high tribute to his work in the battalion.”

“Mr. E. S. Cahill, on behalf of the members of the profession, expressed regret at the sad event. He had had an opportunity of seeing some of the work performed by Lieut. Hyett, not only as a barrister and solicitor, but as secretary of the Law Association - a position he (Lieut. Hyett) held for some time.”

“Regretful references to the death on the field of battle of Lieutenant Alan N. Hyett were made at a Mayoral welcome to Lieut. Emonson at the Town Hall yesterday week by Mayor Beebe, Mr. J. Laidler and Mr. G. Mackay, the latter stating that Lieut. Hyett and his own son (Major Murdoch Mackay, who was killed at Pozieres) were together as boys at the Gravel Hill State School. They began their University career together on the same day, and they went through their law course together. Lieut. Emonson said the news of Lieut. Hyett's death had made him very sad. He was a gallant officer, and a great comrade of the speaker's. He (Lieut. Emonson) relieved Lieut. Hyett in the front line exactly two hours before he was hit. He was a very gallant fellow indeed.”

“Dr. A. E. Frost, president of the Y.M.C.A., at the meeting of the board of management last week alluded to the loss of a value member of the board of control in Lieut. Hyett. The president referred to the excellent qualities of the late Lieutenant, who he said was an ardent worker in the Y.M.C.A. He was a young man of high attainments, and despite the fact that he had entered the ranks as a Private, he had soon gained promotion. He was of a genial disposition, and was very popular in Y.M.C.A. connections, and was highly esteemed by all who knew him. His loss was indeed a sad one to the district.”

“The Bishop of Bendigo said it seemed only a day since dear Alan Hyett was amongst them as a great young fellow. They looked back and remembered him with all love, affection, and esteem that men should have one for another. He was a man of refinement, of culture, and of education. Life with all its brightness and possibilities was before him. But he laid these aside in the interests of his country and went forward to fight for the liberty of our fatherland and all the dominions of Great Britain. He (the speaker) regarded it as a great privilege to have known Lieut. Hyett personally 'The deceased soldier had been a chum, on the battlefield of his own beloved son, who was there still endeavouring to do the work which Lieut. Hyett had fallen in carrying out. It was an honour to speak about a man like the one to whom they were paying a tribute that day. He was one of all others who could be least spared; one who had as good an excuse as anyone to remain at home. There was one thing that made all those who knew the late soldier feel particularly proud. That was that he was a loyal soldier of Jesus Christ. Even greater than his loyalty to his Sovereign was his loyalty to Jesus Christ. He was one who looked not on things that are seen, but lived in the light of things that are unseen - things that are eternal. When he went to the front he went without a particle of fear.”

Alan is commemorated on the following memorials…Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Law Institute of VIC Roll of Honour, Bendigo Great War Roll of Honour, St John’s Church Honour Roll Epsom, Old Bendigo Colleges Honour Roll and Ormond College Honour Roll WW1 University of Melbourne. 

Alan’s father Barkly, President of the Bendigo Law Association at the time, had an ornamental seat erected facing the entrance to the Bendigo Law Courts as a memorial to Alan and 3 other Bendigo barristers who lost their lives in WW1.  On it there is a marble slab bearing the names of the young men and the inscription, "Their names liveth for ever." The tablet was unveiled on 15th November 1921 by the Earl of Stradbroke, the Governor, who visited the city in connection with the opening of the Bendigo Soldiers' Memorial Institute.

Alan’s 2 brothers returned home safely from the war.  After the war his parents received a Memorial Scroll, Plaque and Royal Letter from the King acknowledging Alan’s service and their loss.  These were presented to the next of kin of those who died while serving in the Australian Imperial Force in WW1.           

Alan Newcombe Hyett was awarded for service in WW1 the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.   

Respectfully submitted by Sue Smith 26th July 2023.

Sources

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/219842125?searchTerm=A%20N%20Hyett#

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/90848424?searchTerm=A%20N%20Hyett

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/219842125?searchTerm=A%20N%20Hyett

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/242637069?searchTerm=Alan%20Newcombe%20Hyett#