Francis Henry HAYLEN

HAYLEN, Francis Henry

Service Numbers: Not yet discovered
Enlisted: Not yet discovered
Last Rank: Lieutenant
Last Unit: 2nd Infantry Battalion
Born: Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia, 14 September 1892
Home Town: Not yet discovered
Schooling: Superior Public School Chatswood and Marist Brothers High School Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation: Railway Clerk
Died: Killed In Action, Belgium, 21 September 1917, aged 25 years
Cemetery: No known grave - "Known Unto God"
Menin Gate Memorial
Memorials: Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board, Menin Gate Memorial (Commonwealth Memorial to the Missing of the Ypres Salient)
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World War 1 Service

8 Nov 1916: Involvement 2nd Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: SS Port Nicholson embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: ''
8 Nov 1916: Embarked 2nd Infantry Battalion, SS Port Nicholson, Sydney
21 Sep 1917: Involvement Lieutenant, 2nd Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: awm_unit: 2 Battalion awm_rank: Lieutenant awm_died_date: 1917-09-21

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Biography contributed by John Oakes

Francis Henry HAYLEN was born in Queanbeyan on 14th September 1892.  He was educated at the Superior Public School, Chatswood, and at Marist Brothers High School in Goulburn.  He was appointed cleaner (first step on the career path of an engineman) at the locomotive depot at Penrith in January 1914.  When he enlisted in the AIF in September 1915, his ‘trade or calling’ was noted as clerk.

His friends and well-wishers gave him a fine send-off at Penrith, fully reported in the Nepean Times, 6th November 1915.  ‘He resolved on entering the ranks to become as fully equipped as study of the art of war and attainment of efficiency could make him’. He qualified by examination for appointment as a 2nd Lieutenant in March 1916. 

He mbarked from Sydney as a Corporal in November 1916 with reinforcements. He landed in England in January 1917. He was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant in March. He had two weeks in hospital with an ear infection that interrupted his training. He was sent to France in May and joined the 2nd Battalion there.  In August 1917 he was promoted to Lieutenant. 

On 21st September 1917 he was killed in action at Polygon Wood.  He was buried at a map reference due E of the village of Hooge, just E of Ypres. However, after the war the grave could not be located. He is remembered with honour on the Menin Gate (Ypres) Memorial.

- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board

 

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