Herbert Bruce HATTON

HATTON, Herbert Bruce

Service Number: 6344
Enlisted: 19 July 1916, Goulburn, New South Wales
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 20th Infantry Battalion
Born: Yass, New South Wales, 7 July 1888
Home Town: Yass, Yass Valley, New South Wales
Schooling: Yass Public School
Occupation: Bricklayer
Died: Killed in Action, Belgium, 9 October 1917, aged 29 years
Cemetery: No known grave - "Known Unto God"
Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Flanders, Belgium
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Menin Gate Memorial (Commonwealth Memorial to the Missing of the Ypres Salient), Murringo Honour Roll, Murringo War Memorial, Yass & District WW1 Roll of Honour
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World War 1 Service

19 Jul 1916: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 6344, Goulburn, New South Wales
11 Nov 1916: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 6344, 20th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '13' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Suevic embarkation_ship_number: A29 public_note: ''
11 Nov 1916: Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 6344, 20th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Suevic, Sydney
9 Oct 1917: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 6344, 20th Infantry Battalion, Battle of Poelcapelle

Herbert Bruce Hatton

HERBERT BRUCE HATTON (1888-1917) was born at Yass, the son of John Thomas and Rosaire Hatton (nee Davis).

He answered the call on July 19th, 1916 as Private 6344, 55th Battalion 1st AIF at Goulburn. Like a number of other young men from Yass, many of who were his cousins, he was sent to France. He sailed for Europe – from Sydney - on board the HMAT A29 Suevic on November 11th, 1916 and arrived at Devonport, England on January 1st, 1917. He played a part in some of the ugliest battles in the Ypres offensive at the Menin Gate. He was reported wounded on October 3rd, 1917, but a subsequent Court of Enquiry held on December 4th, found that he had been Killed in Action at Ypres, Belgium on October 9th as a member of the 20th Battalion. It is possible that no identifiable remains were found – he has no known grave.

His cousins, Hector and Norman McCoullough were in the same battalion. His name is recorded on the Menin Gate at Ypres, the Yass Roll of Honour and on Panel 91 Australian War Memorial. Information from the Red Cross Files at the Australian War Memorial reveal more about Herb;

"He was in D. Co. XIV Platoon, I know him well. He was small, thin, fair, clean shaved, about 30. On the 9th Octr., we were at Zonnabeke. Just before dark we moved up from supports to the front line. I was in the trench along side of Hatton. A shell dropped close to us, and wounded Hatton in the stomach. I saw S/B's dressing him, he died about half an hour after. I heard he was buried somewhere near where he was killed." - Information C. E. Stanton, No. 561, AIF 20, Australian Camp, Rouelles.

...and;

"He was of D. Coy. on 8th Oct. about 9.pm, left of Zonnebeke was hit by shell, I was only a few yds, away was hit all over body. I bandaged him up and left him in hands of Dr. He died before S/B (Stretcher Bearers) picked him up at 1.pm. Was unconscious. Buried alongside trench in which we was when hit. We were walking along this trench at the time to take up our positions in the line. I was in burial party, a rough board was put over grave with his name on. I gave his private effects to Sgt. C. J. Smith No 4771 D. Coy, 20th Batt. knew him as Hatton, came from N.S.W. I think." - Inf. Cpl K. A. McDonald 2413, 20th Battalion, D. Coy. Harefield. Note. Written Sgt. Smith 9.7.18. D.C. London 9/7/1918 H.G.

...and;

"Hatton was a thin married man of medium height, age 35,. On Oct. 9/191 we were at Ypres when I saw him killed by a shell which burst close to him, a piece of shrapnel hitting him in the spine. I was 10 yards away and in the same trench when I saw him hit. He died when the S/Bs who were carrying him back to the D/S had only reached half the distance from the trench to the D/S (Dressing Station). He was buried in the open ground where he died. A cross was placed over the grave. "Reference: Stanley Neville, 5384, No 11 Con. Camp Bouchy Nr. Rouen. 17/8/18. JWA.

...and;

"He was in A. Coy. Refer to Pte. A.E.C. Cumming, A. Coy. 20th Battn., who is now in France, for he saw him killed and also buried." Informant Duncan. Pte. J.H. 28851, a. Coy. 20th Battn. 3rd, A. A. H. Dartford. - London 29.8.1918. J.E.A.

...and;

"Informant states that on October 9th 1917, a Company of the Battalion, to which Company both Hatton and Informant belonged, were attacking on the Ypres Sector. Informant was wounded in the hand and began to walk back to the dressing station - on the way back Informant saw a stretcher bearer in a shell hole and went to him to have his hand dressed. the stretcher bearer was attending to other wounded there. As it came the Informant's turn to be dressed by the stretcher bearer, Hatton was wounded and came into the shell hole. Informant told the stretcher bearer to attend to Hatton first and he did so. Informant was then attended to and left for the dressing station, the shell hole being in No Man's Land. He did not see Hatton again. It was clear to Informant that Hatton could not live long. After Informant's hand was dressed he waited in a gully with about 50 others - wounded - until a guide came along. It was then daylight but the men did not know the way back. While they were waiting for a guide the stretcher bearer who belonged to the 17th Battalion was sniped while he was dressing a wounded man. Hatton was tall, slight, about 20, dark, clean-shaven and he had not been long with the Battalion. He was called "Herb" - Informant: Private J. H. Clark No 1682 - Home address 2 Northumberland Ave., Stanmore.

For some time the family hoped that he was a Prisoner of War in Germany, but those hopes were dashed with the receipt of this letter;

No trace Germany - Cert. by Capt. Mills. 10.10.1919. London 17.10.19.

There was another casualty about the same time, Private A. E. Hatton, 6018, and his name is mentioned on each letter for clarification purposes, but you will have noticed that there were some variation in the descriptions given. His mother received a pension of £1/13/6 per fortnight from February 15th, 1918.

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