Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Jack (born 1867), Andy (1883) and Frank Hayes (1889) were the sons of Patrick Hayes and his wife, Elizabeth Stewart. Andy and Frank were the youngest. The couple worked and lived on "Rosebrook", a large property belonging to the Harnett family, situated in Rose Valley, north of Cooma.
Patrick's parents, Thomas Hayes and Margaret O'Shanassey, had migrated from Ireland in 1841. Thomas was one of a group, who found enough gold to spark the Kiandra Goldrush, of 1859. Thomas was later employed as a shepherd and Margaret as a housekeeper. Later they selected their own land at Rock Flat. Some of their grown children then lived and worked on "Rose Valley." Margaret moved there, when Thomas died, in 1899. Margaret died at Jerangle, in 1907.
Elizabeth's parents were William Stewart and Esther Hannah, who had migrated from Northern Ireland, in 1842. She was born at Gundaroo (north of Canberra) and after some time at Naas Creek (now ACT), the family selected their own land at Cooma Creek. When Elizabeth's mother was killed by lightening, the care of six younger children would probably have fallen to her, until four years later, when she married Patrick - a shepherd at the time. Later he was a teamster and eventually had a farm. The couple raised 11 children, nine of whom survived. They were probably living at "Rosebrook" in 1866, when the station was bailed up by the Clarke Gang, after the Hartnett family and friends were relieved of their winnings from the Cooma Races, held earlier that day. Frank was only 10, when his father died. Elizabeth died 11 years later.
As a consequence, Frank probably had to find work at a very young age, which he did for many years with his brother Jack, at various properties around the area. Frank enlisted at Cooma, in February 1916, followed by Jack's son, Cecil, in June. Andy had enlisted the previous year. Andy went on to serve with the 31st Battalion in France and Cecil in France and Belgium, with the 54th Battalion.
Frank left Sydney, in September, 1916 and arrived in France, in December with the 54th Battalion. In an extremely bitter winter, the battalion was in the trenches of the Somme and Frank contracted pneumonia. After recuperating, he rejoined his unit, just as they took part in the fierce and bloody Battle of Polygon Wood. Badly wounded by gunshots, his fighting days were over and he returned home in February, 1918, but was left with limited use of his arm, no doubt a real challenge for a bushman, used to hard physical work.
Cecil, who had been gassed twice, arrived home the following year. Soon after, Andy returned with his new English wife, Edith Wilson (nee Cooke) and her young son. Frank married Joan Kett and later lived in Croydon, NSW. In 1931. he wrote to the army requesting replacement of his WW1 badge and discharge papers, as they had been lost in a Bredbo bushfire. He died in Marrickville, NSW, in 1960. Joan is thought to have died in Coolamon, NSW.
REFERENCES:
"From Kilkeel to Cooma", William and Esther Stewart family History Group, Cooma
NSW BDM: DC 21934/1960 and DC 28066/1960
NAA Army Service Record Series B2455
Australian War Memorial "Explore Australian Military Units - WW1 - Infantry:55th Battalion

Jack (born 1867), Andy (1883) and Frank Hayes (1889) were the sons of Patrick Hayes and his wife, Elizabeth Stewart. Andy and Frank were the youngest. The couple worked and lived on "Rosebrook", a large property belonging to the Harnett family, situated in Rose Valley, north of Cooma.
Patrick's parents, Thomas Hayes and Margaret O'Shanassey, had migrated from Ireland in 1841. Thomas was one of a group, who found enough gold to spark the Kiandra Goldrush, of 1859. Thomas was later employed as a shepherd and Margaret as a housekeeper. Later they selected their own land at Rock Flat. Some of their grown children then lived and worked on "Rose Valley." Margaret moved there, when Thomas died, in 1899. Margaret died at Jerangle, in 1907.
Elizabeth's parents were William Stewart and Esther Hannah, who had migrated from Northern Ireland, in 1842. She was born at Gundaroo (north of Canberra) and after some time at Naas Creek (now ACT), the family selected their own land at Cooma Creek. When Elizabeth's mother was killed by lightening, the care of six younger children would probably have fallen to her, until four years later, when she married Patrick - a shepherd at the time. Later he was a teamster and eventually had a farm. The couple raised 11 children, nine of whom survived. They were probably living at "Rosebrook" in 1866, when the station was bailed up by the Clarke Gang, after the Hartnett family and friends were relieved of their winnings from the Cooma Races, held earlier that day. Frank was only 10, when his father died. Elizabeth died 11 years later.
As a consequence, Frank probably had to find work at a very young age, which he did for many years with his brother Jack, at various properties around the area. Frank enlisted at Cooma, in February 1916, followed by Jack's son, Cecil, in June. Andy had enlisted the previous year. Andy went on to serve with the 31st Battalion in France and Cecil in France and Belgium, with the 54th Battalion.
Frank left Sydney, in September, 1916 and arrived in France, in December with the 54th Battalion. In an extremely bitter winter, the battalion was in the trenches of the Somme and Frank contracted pneumonia. After recuperating, he rejoined his unit, just as they took part in the fierce and bloody Battle of Polygon Wood. Badly wounded by gunshots, his fighting days were over and he returned home in February, 1918, but was left with limited use of his arm, no doubt a real challenge for a bushman, used to hard physical work.
Cecil, who had been gassed twice, arrived home the following year. Soon after, Andy returned with his new English wife, Edith Wilson (nee Cooke) and her young son. Frank married Joan Kett and later lived in Croydon, NSW. In 1931. he wrote to the army requesting replacement of his WW1 badge and discharge papers, as they had been lost in a Bredbo bushfire. He died in Marrickville, NSW, in 1960. Joan is thought to have died in Coolamon, NSW.