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War Memorial
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From Ballarat & District in the Great War

Lt George Hay
 
I’ve wanted to write George Hay’s story ever since I first heard about him over 15-years ago. From the outset he struck me as one of the most unique characters, someone you would be unlikely to ever forget…

The Hay family arrived in Victoria in 1880. Reverend George Hay haled from the small fishing village of Prestonpans, which was famous for being the site of the first significant battle of the Jacobite uprising of 1745. The village was just 8-miles east of Edinburgh, and it was there that George senior received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Edinburgh University in 1871. He was then ordained a minister of the Presbyterian Church in 1874.

The following year he married Elizabeth McKelvie McKenzie, a master shoemaker’s daughter from the small Scottish coastal town of Ardrossan. When they travelled to Australia onboard the Militiades five years later the couple already had three children – Mamie, Marjorie and baby Robert.

On arrival, George immediately took over the parish at Rokewood. It was there that their son, George, was born on 11 June 1884. He was to be the sixth of their seven children.

Although the Hay family lived at the Manse in Rokewood, young George received his early education at the nearby Corindhap State School. (It is interesting to note that the population of this town has now shrunk to just 100 people, but 50 ‘old scholars’ would enlist for active service in the Great War).

Advanced education pre-1900 was usually the province of those who were either scholastically or financially superior. Certainly, young George Hay proved to be both an excellent student and a fine all-round athlete who thrived in team sports. As a result, he was given the opportunity to continue with his studies through to matriculation, with the examinations then set by the University of Melbourne.
After successfully passing his exams, George took a position as a junior teacher at Ballarat College, following his older brother Robert (a master at Melbourne Grammar) into the teaching profession. Whilst at College, George played both senior grade cricket and Australian Rules with the Ballarat Football Club.

In 1907, George took a position at Trinity Grammar School in Kew, and moved into rooms on the campus in Charles Street. Although the school was only five years old, it was already building an impressive reputation. George quickly became involved in the school cricket team, and coached the First XI to a win in the Victoria Schools Cricket Association Premiership of December 1908. He also maintained his own sporting interests by transferring from the Ballarat Football Club to the University team that fielded a side in the VFL competition.

George also became actively involved with the Senior Cadets of the Commonwealth Military Cadet Corps. On 17 May 1909, he was named as a probationary lieutenant with the 4th Battalion, a unit that drew its members from several notable secondary schools, including Trinity Grammar.

In 1915, George rejoined the staff of Ballarat College. Shortly after returning to his old school, George made the decision to enlist: he volunteered at the Ballarat Recruiting Depot on 10 July 1915.

The searching physical examination showed that George met all the requirements that were expected of new recruits to the AIF – he was 5-feet 6½-inches tall, was strongly built at 12-stone 7-pounds and could achieve a chest expansion of 38-inches. His appearance was not at all typical of someone with pure Scottish ancestry: he had a dark complexion, with brown eyes and straight black hair. The medical officer also noted that he had a scar from an appendectomy.

George’s four years’ experience as a commissioned officer in charge of Senior Cadets also added to his credentials. At the time of enlisting, he was on the unattached list, meaning that he had not been assigned to a new unit following his move back to Ballarat.

Having been passed fit, George took his oath to serve King and country on 23 July, and took a posting to the Officers’ Training School at the Broadmeadows Camp.
Initially, George had nominated his father as his legal next-of-kin, but this was to change when he proposed marriage to a particularly fine mezzo-soprano who sang with him in the choir of Ballarat’s St Andrew’s Kirk. Claribel Allison Stevens, the daughter of A. S. Stevens, manager of the Ballarat Courier publishing staff, was just two years younger than George Hay. She had a fine reputation as a soloist and travelled interstate to sing in a range of vocal competitions with great success. Her performance of Samuel Liddle’s “How Lovely Are Thy Dwellings,” was a highlight of the Ballarat Choral Festival in September 1914.
And so it was that on 2 October 1915, Claribel entered St Andrew’s Kirk to the well-known refrain of Wagner’s Bridal March, before the choir sang the hymn, “The Voice That Breathed O'er Eden.” The church had been decorated with bowls of lilies and iris and groups of palms decorated appropriately with flags of the Allied countries.

Claribel, who wore a simple gown of white crepe de chine trimmed with Limerick lace and clusters of lily of the valley and orange blossom. The court train was ornamented with horseshoes of seed pearls and orange blossom. Her face was covered by a beautiful veil of Mechlin net, with the corners inlet with Limerick lace; her hair bore a wreath of orange blossom.

As was tradition, Claribel carried what was referred to as a shower bouquet – a large, tumble-down arrangement that literally showered almost to the floor. She also wore a diamond ring, a gift from her fiancé. Her attendants were Miss Minna Harris (of Melbourne), George’s sister, Bessie Hay, and Miss Eunice McGregor.

Waiting at the altar rail, George Hay stood alongside his best man, Corporal Herbert Bayston, and groomsmen Corporals Rob McGregor and Jim Tassell. Their uniforms lent a patriotically military air to the occasion.

As a special touch, Reverend George Hay (supported by the incumbent minister of St Andrew’s, John Walker) performed the service, which was ‘fully choral’ in honour of the bride and groom. The singing of the solo, “Because” was also a popular choice during the signing of the register and it was ‘effectively sung’ by Miss Ettie Barnes.

Following the service, the wedding party and their many guests adjourned to the large hall behind St Andrew’s, where the wedding breakfast was enjoyed. The many toasts were interspersed with a ‘delightful programme of vocal and instrumental music.’
Later that day, ‘amid a shower of confetti,’ the happy couple left by the evening train from the Ballarat Railway Station. Claribel looked particularly fetching in a ‘smart costume of blue taffeta’ with a blue tuille hat adorned with rosebuds. George was sporting a new wristlet watch, which was a gift from Claribel. They spent their honeymoon in the bayside suburb of Beaumaris, then famous for its bathing boxes and sea baths.

Returning to Ballarat, Claribel set up house at 20 Errard Street north, whilst George returned to the Broadmeadows Camp.

As the months passed, George was moved between training battalions and camps. He spent a period of time at Ascot Vale with both D and then C Company of the 10th Training Battalion, before he was posted to the 14th Training Battalion at the Ballarat Showgrounds on 1 December.

It seems the military was in no particular hurry to send George overseas – given his background with the Senior Cadets, he appears to have been of greater use training the young recruits.

On 18 March 1916, George applied for a commission in the AIF. Once again, he was required to submit to a medical examination – and, of course there were variations to his previous measurements. On this occasion, George was measured at 5-feet 7-inches, had seemingly lost half a stone in weight, but could now expand his chest to 41¼-inches – an improvement of 3¼-inches! The doctor also tested George’s eyesight, which was found to be normal.
His commission to the rank of second-lieutenant was granted on 1 April, and his posting to E Company of the 3rd reinforcements to the 39th Infantry Battalion came through on 25 May.

The original 39th Battalion had been trained at Ballarat following its raising in February 1916. As a result, the people of the city quickly adopted the new unit and its subsequent reinforcements as their own, so there was particular pride when a local was given command of the 3rd allotment. George’s fellow officer was Christian Christensen, a 30-year-old teacher from Elmore. The pair became fast friends and likewise Christensen quickly cemented his place in the affection of the Ballarat people.

After seemingly endless months in camp, George Hay and the men of the 3/39th boarded HMAT Shropshire at Port Melbourne on 25 September 1916. Perhaps no-one captured that moment better than Lance-Corporal Edward Henry Harris, from Musk Vale:

‘…The morn was gay when we sailed away,
on board the good Shropshire,
The khaki boys had heard from o'er the
sea the call of their comrades clear,
They bade farewell to their dearest
friends (whom some would see no more),
Fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers and
sweethearts in galore…’

Certainly, the parting was bittersweet for all involved and there can be no doubt that Claribel Hay felt a range of emotions as she bade her soldier husband farewell…

The voyage to England took nearly seven weeks before the Shropshire finally docked at Plymouth on 11 November. The men were then transported through to the 3rd Division Base at Hurdcott on the Salisbury Plain.

For six more months, George and his men trained in camps around Wiltshire. Both he and Christensen were instructed at the Bomb School at Lyndhurst, with George attending the course from 12 to the 24 March 1917. Given his prowess with a cricket ball, it was unsurprising that George qualified as an instructor in bomb throwing.

Finally, on 13 May 1917, George crossed the English Channel to France. When he joined the 39th Battalion, the men were in an area known as the Catacombs – a network of tunnels running under Hill 63, where preparations were well under way for the coming Battle of Messines.

Perhaps the Germans were aware that something was brewing, and they began to shell the roads and adjacent Ploegsteert Wood with gas. It was to no avail, however, as the detonation of multiple mines along the Messines Ridge on 7 June was to have a catastrophic impact on the enemy lines.

This was the first battle for the 39th Battalion, and, although the unit suffered very heavy casualties (around 300 wounded, and many of those were gassed as they moved towards the jump-off line) the number killed was comparatively light and they performed in outstanding fashion and captured all of its objectives.

Amongst the gassed was George Hay; he was admitted to the 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station on 8 June, then taken by Ambulance Train 26 to the 3rd General Hospital at Le Treport, where he was admitted the following day.

By the time Claribel received notification on 18 June that George had been admitted to hospital ‘suffering from the effects of gas, severe,’ he had already been discharged to the 3rd Australian Divisional Base at Havre.

When George returned to the 39th Battalion on 19 June, he was greeted by his friend, Christian Christensen, who had arrived in the trenches during his absence.

The pair were destined to share only a very short time together in the firing line – Christensen, who was promoted to full lieutenant in the field on 23 June, was killed in action on 29 July 1917.

'…No one can appreciate more highly than I his sterling qualities as a soldier and a man. I have met no man in the AIF I would rather have as a comrade, and I always felt his influence a good one at all times.
His men were deeply moved when he fell, but we get used to seeing death at close quarters, and it seems to lose many of its terrors.

I am glad to say he suffered nothing, and was just reaching safety when a shell struck him. He went out like the gallant fellow that he was, trying to get all his men back to safety, when he might easily have saved himself first. We can spare none of his type here at this ghastly job, or at home in civilian life in peaceful Australia.

If my time should come over here may I go out as gallantly as my good comrade has done…'
George, who had been promoted to lieutenant on the same day as his friend, felt the loss badly.

Nevertheless, he understood his role as a leader and the extra duties it sometimes entailed. This included writing letters with information for soldiers’ families. The following is a letter to William Ross of Miner’s Rest, detailing events of his son’s experiences during a German raid at Armentieres on the night of 22/23 February 1917. Clearly, Dave Ross had relayed the exciting escapade to George Hay…

'…In case Dave does not tell you the story I shall try to tell you something of what he has done at the Front. I shall try to tell it to you as it was told me by the officer who brought us the news.

Dave was surprised unarmed by a big German, and was taken prisoner in his dugout, and apparently he kept his wits about him, and by waiting his chance managed to floor the other chap with his fist. Then they had a terrible struggle, in which first one and then the other got the upper hand. Dave says his teeth won’t fight for him, so you can get some idea of the tussle.

In the end Dave killed the German with the latter's bayonet. He was badly scratched and mauled about, and was about knocked out when more of our men arrived and got him to the rear.

General Monash, the Divisional Commander, personally saw him, and congratulated him on his magnificent fight, and I know that he has recommended Dave for the Distinguished Conduct Medal.

Since then Dave has sent over to me two or three small trophies he took from his opponent, and at his request, I am forwarding them to you. He is to get the German's rifle and bayonet later on.

Dave has done his part already. He has always been thought a good deal of by all of us, and this latest proof of the sort of chap he is has given us all great satisfaction. There was no finer soldier in the whole of our camp, and it is only fitting that he should be the first to distinguish himself…'

It wasn’t until the Battle of Broodseinde Ridge on the 4 October 1917, that the 39th Battalion returned to major action. Although the unit lost 47 men during the fighting, achievements that day (due in no small part to the ‘fine spirit and devotion of the troops’) gave the High Command hopes of further success.
Commander of the Third Australian Division (then) Major-General John Monash wrote,
‘…The blow inflicted yesterday upon the enemy is calculated to have a decisive influence upon final victory. But this can be achieved only if we vigorously follow up our success; and we must prepare ourselves as rapidly as possible to repeat our blow…’

Unfortunately, heavy rain quickly turned the land to a quagmire and the subsequent attack on Passchendaele, on 12 October, became hell for the 39th Battalion. A further 49 men were killed as they struggled through the intense cold, rain and mud. They were soon exhausted and were relieved from the line the next day and retired to billets at Zoteux.
George Hay took the opportunity to write to the mother of one of his men on 7 November. Mrs Harriet Morton, of Amphitheatre, received the following letter about her son, Leslie, who was killed in action on 4 October 1917.

‘…It is with deepest regret that I offer you my most sincere sympathy on the death of your son Leslie, who was killed in action on 4th October. He was member of my platoon and I had full opportunity of understanding and appreciating his many fine qualities.

I was not in action on the day he met his death, but from my platoon sergeants and others I have learned the facts. He gallantly rushed a machine-gun position, seized a revolver from one of the gun crew, and shot them all. Then he attempted to deal with another position in the same way, but was shot and killed.
It was one of the finest of the many gallant deeds done that day by our boys and his company commander has recommended him for the Victoria Cross. Should that distinction be awarded to him, though a poor comfort for his death, yet it will be some slight consolation to know that he met his death as we all would wish to meet it should it fall to our lot as a gallant soldier doing his duty nobly.

His comrades in the platoon join with me in offering you our deepest sympathy in your bereavement…’
Despite the content of George’s letter, “Cobby” Morton did not receive the VC and there was no indication he was ever recommended for a decoration.
As the year drew to a close, George was seconded for duty to England. On New Year’s Day 1918, he joined the 10th Training Battalion at Sutton-Mandeville. From 30 January to 6 February, he attended a Course of Instruction in Defensive Measures Against Gas held at No1 Area Gas School in Chiseldon. After completing the course, George qualified 1st Class in the subject and was transferred to the 9th Training Battalion stationed at the Gas School at Sandown on the Isle of Wight.

George had been out of the line for a full seven months when he was transferred back to France on 31 July 1918. He rejoined the 39th Battalion on 7 August, the day before the Allies launched their great offensive east of Amiens. Although the 39th did not perform an active role at the beginning, two days later they took part in what was described as ‘an ill-conceived attack’ that failed to capture the village of Proyart.

Back in Australia, a most unfortunate mix-up was to cause Claribel Hay considerable upset. On 6 September, she received a message from Base Records stating that her husband was ‘progressing favourably.’ As she had had no prior correspondence outlining any reason for him to be in hospital, Claribel was understandably distressed. She immediately dispatched a reply-paid cable asking for clarification – ‘please reply ill or nature of wound.’ After several hours had passed and she had not received a response, she cabled a second address. Finally, that evening she received a wire stating ‘not your husband letter following.’

A letter did indeed follow, but not for several days, by which time the whole family had become quite agitated. The Officer in Charge at Base Records was at great pains to point out that the cable had referred to ‘another officer bearing a similar regimental description.’

Claribel’s father wrote a very forthright letter in response in which he detailed their concerns. Apparently, Claribel was ‘not in good health’ at the time and the ‘worry and anxiety endured by her’ had aggravated the situation. He spoke of ‘severe condemnation’ for informing a soldier’s wife in such a manner and hinted at taking the matter further with local member, Charlie McGrath MHR.

Apologies for the error were quickly forthcoming – the officer referred to was in fact Lieutenant G. Hay of the 51st Battalion, but Base Records also quickly pointed out that long hours and heavy strain due to the large casualty lists that resulted in an average 1,000 letters and telegrams a day, it was inevitable that, despite every effort, mistakes would occur.

The letter continued in quite a concerning tone, stating that much of the work was being undertaken by returned men ‘whose nerves were not in the best of order.’ The blame for the error was placed on one of these men, who it was said would be ‘dealt with’ and called on to make restitution for the financial costs Claribel had incurred.

Meanwhile, as the 3rd Division continued its part in the advance along the Somme Valley, George Hay was at the forefront with the 39th Battalion. He was still with his unit as they took part in their last major action of the war: fighting alongside American troops from 29 September to 2 October, the 39th was involved in the operation that finally beached the Hindenburg Line at the St Quentin Canal.

When the war ended, the 39th Battalion was resting well behind the line at Hocquincourt. There was great rejoicing when news of the Armistice reached them. An Armistice Dinner was quickly arranged and the evening was rounded off with a concert at the hall in Hallencourt by the 3rd Divisional Pierrot Company, the “Coo-ees”.

Except for a leave pass to England in February 1919, George remained in France until his return to Australia was organised. He sailed from Devonport onboard the transport Rio Padro on 27 May 1919.

After disembarking in Adelaide on 17 July, George caught the express train through to Melbourne. On arriving back in Ballarat, he received a sumptuous Welcome Home from his many friends and colleagues. ‘The garden surrounding the home looked very picturesque, being gaily lighted with acetylene gas lanterns, flags and festooning, and over the main entrance was a large transparency with the colours of Lieutenant Hay’s battalion, red and brown, and the words “Welcome Home.”’

His appointment in the AIF was terminated on 28 August 1919.

At the Annual Speech night for Ballarat College, held at the Ballarat City Hall on 16 December 1919, the school community gathered to hear an address by former student, Harold “Pompey” Elliott. During the course of the evening, Principal Angus Polson made special mention of ‘Mr Hay’ who they had gladly welcomed back to the staff and ‘whom we are pleased to see looking so well after an absence of three years on active service.’

George quickly settled back into civilian life, and found untold satisfaction in the resumption of his teaching career at Ballarat College, where he taught French and Geometry.

He and Claribel welcomed the arrival of two children in quick succession, George Albert Osborne Ross (always known as Ross) on 10 April 1921 and Mary Allison on 24 September 1922.

As time passed, George Hay became warmly referred to as “Old George” by his students. But while George did seem incredibly old to his young charges it was said that his zest for life meant he was never stodgy.
He also coached the First Eleven at Ballarat College for many years and took great pride in preparation of the turf pitches. Apparently many an errant Ballarat College boy found himself working off his indiscretions behind the pitch roller!

George was described by a former student as ‘a fine old fellow…who enlivened his lessons with vivid anecdotes from his very full life.’ There was never any secret about the fact he had served in the Great War – he would regale boys with one particularly hilarious tale of returning to his billet late at night and falling into the cess-pool in the stables!

All hilarity was put aside when the world once again descended into war, and a second generation of the Hay family was called on to do their bit. Ross Hay enlisted on 10 April 1942. He served with the 2/22nd Battalion and reached the rank of sergeant before his discharge four years later.

Over the years, George continued to enjoy his many interests – he loved shooting and fishing, but also had a deep understanding of natural history. He was an omnivorous reader, but a very heavy smoker.

The death of his beloved Claribel on 1 June 1951, left a void that was only filled by his joy of teaching.
With the break-up of the 39th Battalion, a simple ceremony was held in Ballarat’s Christ Church Cathedral on Sunday 15 June 1952, for the formal laying up of the battalion colours.

Seventy Diggers from both wars were at the service, and, in misty rain, they formed a guard of honour for the colour party, which was escorted by 250 members of the 8/7th Battalion. George Hay, who was then secretary of the 39th Battalion Association, handed the colours to the Rev. Dr. J. A. Munro, who, by tradition, was to keep them until a new 39th Battalion was formed. It was George’s last act for his old unit.
“Old George” Hay continued as a senior master at Ballarat College until ill-health forced his retirement in December 1954, ending a teaching career that had spanned fifty of history’s most turbulent years. He died at Ballarat on 31 July 1957.

Such was his popularity and the esteem in which he was held, George Hay became regarded by many as the ‘Mr Chips of Ballarat College.’ That is perhaps the highest accolade that a teacher can receive from former students – love, respect and gratitude for a job well done.