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Australia

Michael Francis Haydon was born in Saddleworth, a small country town in South Australia’s Gilbert Valley, on 8th December, 1919. His parents, Thomas and Ada, had three sons, Michael being the eldest, and four daughters. As his family was relatively poor, he left his schooling in Saddleworth at age 12 to begin work milking cows and as a general farm hand. In his late teens he took up work droving for a sheep farmer. When WWII broke out, he found pay was far better in the army than as a drover and signed up in the A.I.F from nearby Farrell Flat on 17th June 1940.

Anticipating a new experience filled with excitement and adventure, Mick, as he was more commonly known, was filled with enthusiasm as he travelled down to Adelaide and then into training camp in the Adelaide Hills.

The 2/43rd Infantry Battalion was formed on 17th July 1940 at the Woodside army camp and Mick became one of its original members. Well into training, Mick felt he deserved a bit of extra leave and went AWL one evening from 2200 hours on 8th November to 0635 on the 11th, a total of three days. As a result, he was confined to barracks for three days and forfeited three day’s pay, amounting to 15/-.
The battalion was initially raised as part of the 8th Division’s 24th Brigade but the brigade was to be transferred later to the newly formed 9th Division in December. Towards the end of that month the battalion moved to Melbourne, but before their departure the troops were granted eight days pre-embarkation leave from 26th November. On his return, Mick joined the convoy that left from Melbourne, bound for the Middle East. By the 29th December the 2/43rd was embarked on the Mauretania and sailed for Colombo. There, on 15th January 1941, the battalion was trans-shipped to Nevada, eventually arriving at Tewfik, Egypt by the end of January. A train journey to Palestine followed, where it was intended the Australians complete their training at Khassa Camp, just north of Gaza.

By now, the British advance in the Western Desert, stretching from Egypt into Libya, had reached El Agheila. In March, the 9th Division followed, with Mick and his battalion passing a trail littered with wrecked equipment left by the retreating Italians along the way, until they reached a position around Tobruk which they were to garrison. The Division was poorly equipped at the time and unable to push forward to Benghazi, so the 2/43rd, 2/28th and 2/32nd Battalions remained in the Tobruk area. During the next month, the Axis armies regrouped and Rommel’s Afrika Korps lead a counter attack which pushed the British back from El Agheila. Both they and the 9th Division withdrew to Tobruk, a seaport with a large landlocked harbour, filled with the wreckage of sunken Axis ships. Thus began the six-month siege of Tobruk, with the 9th Division and 18th Brigade defending the “fortress” and denying Rommel the prize he sought. A defensive system of which Mick was part was set up with two lines (and later three) linking perimeter posts around Tobruk. Manning of the lines, repelling relentless attacks and aggressive patrolling of no-man’s-land ensued, as Rommel continued to probe the defences, looking for an easy way through to the port.

In an action on 29th July, Mick suffered a gunshot wound to the right thigh and was evacuated to the 4th Australian General Hospital (4AGH). The following day he was discharged from the hospital and re-joined his unit.

On 3rd August 1941, Garrison Commander, General Morshead ordered an attack by the 24th Brigade on a German-held section of high ground five kilometres wide known as Hill 209, or the Salient. The plan was to bring in the 2/43rd Battalion to attack a position known as ‘R7’ under darkness, using four platoons from B Company. The tactic to mount an assault on the enemy at his strongest point with an inadequate force was fraught with high risk. As a result, B Company, together with supporting A Company, sustained heavy losses, leaving insufficient troops to hold the objective and forcing a subsequent withdrawal.
On the second day of the assault, the 4th August, Private Haydon was wounded in action with a gunshot wound to the left leg. The following day he was evacuated again to 4AGH, also with a shrapnel wound to the right thigh. After eleven days of treatment and recovery, he re-joined his unit and was ‘struck off the x-list’ on 16th August. (Lists of personnel who were recorded as absent from their regular unit for various reasons).

Of the 137 attacking troops on position R7, 106 were casualties, including 29 killed in action. The determination and fearlessness demonstrated on that fateful morning was destined to become the most significant date in the battalion’s history.

After seven months assisting in the defence of Tobruk, the siege-weary troops of the 2/43rd Battalion were evacuated by sea in the early hours of 17th October. The Australian destroyer Nizam and RN mine-layer Latona, in which Mick was embarked, conveyed the troops out of the harbour under cover of darkness, then sped eastwards along the coast to land them at Alexandria. Later, Mick claimed that what stuck in his mind most when he looked back on the brief passage to a safe haven with the Royal Navy was, surprisingly, not the relief at being out the battle ground at last. His memory focused on the bread freshly baked onboard and handed around to the troops – the first taste of warm ‘staff of life’ he had had in seven months of living in the desert!

From Alexandria the battalion was transferred to camp ‘Kilo 89’ in southern Palestine, which appeared to the battle-hardened “rats of Tobruk”, something of a paradise. Mick was apparently enjoying his new environment to excess, as on 12th November, he was charged for an undisclosed crime of “Conduct to the prejudice of good conduct and military discipline on 11th November.” His unimpressed Commanding Officer awarded him four days ‘confined to barracks’ as punishment
In January 1942, the 2/43rd moved to Syria for further rest, training and garrison duties. During this period, Mick and presumably a few mates, went AWL from 1530 hours on 16th January to 0915 hours the following day. For this piece of unauthorised leave, Mick was awarded six days confined to barracks by the officer commanding ‘A’ Company, 2/43rd Battalion and an automatic forfeiture of one day’s pay.

The battalion later spent four months in the Lebanese mountains where a section of men including Mick were, oddly enough, to spend a period of time training in the snow for ski patrol duties. Following a training exercise back in the Syrian desert, the worsening situation in North Africa meant it was time to return to war again.

By July 1942, the Germans and Italians had thrust east through Egypt, reaching El Alamein and coming within grasp of Alexandria. With the war in North Africa now at a critical stage for the British Forces, the 9th Division was rushed to the North Western sector while the 8th Army was being reinforced for a new offensive. The 2/43rd reached the El Alamein front on 5th July and two days later became the first A.I.F. troops to engage the enemy there with a highly successful night raid.
Ten days later, on 17th July, the 9th Division launched its attack on the enemy, with the 2/43rd and 2/32nd Battalions of the 24th Brigade moving inland to begin the push-back of the Africa Corps to a point named Ruin Ridge. On the following day, 18th July, Private Haydon was promoted Acting Corporal. It is not certain why Mick was temporarily promoted to the higher rank, but after occupying the position that required that rank for thirty six days, Mick was reverted to Private on 5th August. Perhaps the following may explain the temporary promotion. At this time, new groups were formed called Guerilla Reconnaissance Sections, whose purpose it was to specialise in harassing patrols and to hunt enemy tanks. In the 2/43rd, volunteers were selected from companies. One of the men who volunteered was Private Tom Starcevich, who towards the end of the war was to be awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery. Also during August, the chaplain, Father Tom Gard was appointed to the battalion. Mick and the other men in the battalion held Father Tom in very high regard – always with the troops in the thick of it and invariably where he thought the men needed him most.

On 24th September Mick was evacuated to 7AGH with a recurrent ulcer in his left ankle that was troubling him. Treatment over the ensuing month was having limited effect and by 22nd October, the ulcer had become infected. The bacteria from the toxic ankle had spread up to his tonsil area and initiated a faucial diphtheria infection. He was quickly evacuated from 7AGH to 6AGH on 22nd October. There things improved considerably and on 4th November Mick was evacuated to 1 ACD (Australian Convalescent Depot). From there he was discharged to the 24th Australian Infantry Training Battalion on 12th November and eventually marched out to his 2/43rd Battalion and taken on strength there on 11th December 1942, just in time for its return to Palestine .

But in the meantime, the 2/43rd had been busily engaged in fierce fighting with the enemy at the front. During the main allied offensive that began on 23rd October, the 24th Brigade was held in reserve and tasked with confusing the Axis Forces by raiding enemy lines to feign a full attack. The Brigade re-joined the main fighting again on 31st October when it relieved the 26th Brigade in the push forward to a railway barracks known as ‘The Blockhouse’. While waiting for the big push, the battalion’s forward machine gun posts found they were being shelled by ‘friendly’ New Zealand artillery. A few of Mick’s mates later related how they hurried back over the hill, where they could see their own lines and waited until they could identify the 25-pounder which was doing the damage. His pals grabbed a truck and dashed up to the offending gun to stop the misdirected firing. Apparently the rangefinder had slipped, causing the shells to drop 4000 yards short!
On 1st November, a fierce battle ensued with the 2/43rd defending the Blockhouse area against a determined German infantry, backed by intense shelling, tank attacks and aerial dive bombing. By nightfall the position remained secure in the defender’s hands, however the battalion had suffered a heavy 108 casualties, including the mortal wounding of 24th Brigade Commander, Brigadier Godfrey. Also lost on that day was Sergeant Archibald Badenoch, who was hit by shrapnel. Archie Badenoch was the first South Australian to be killed as a soldier in WWII. At dusk, 10 Platoon, B Company, 2/43rd Battalion was left with only five men standing.

On that day, the German attempt to defeat the Ally’s Eighth Army was broken and the 2/43rd was to be credited with a major share of the victory. By 6th November, the Axis forces were in retreat as a result of the great, though costly success of the Allied armies at El Alamein.

In December, the 2/43rd returned to Khassa Camp in Palestine, participating in the 9th Division parade in Gaza.

Back again with his battalion colleagues, Mick and a few mates slipped out of camp late on the evening of 3rd January 1943 for a belated celebration of the New Year. He was subsequently charged with the offence of being AWL from 2230 hours on 3rd January to 0730 hours the following morning. For his trouble, he was awarded a fine of three pounds by his C.O. and an automatic forfeiture of one day’s pay. Mick probably thought it was worth it!

It was around this time that Mick learned of the death of his father, Thomas Haydon. Upon receipt of the sad news, he nominated his Next of Kin now as his mother, Ada, and his records were adjusted to indicate so on 19th January.

Later that month, on 24th January, the battalion departed for the Suez Canal and embarked on the converted troopship, Queen Mary, for return to Australia. For the voyage home, Mick volunteered to serve as part of the gun crew for the anti-submarine weapon mounted on the stern of the ship. He had quickly found that as part of this team he would get better food and improved living conditions than most of the other troops crowded into the quarters down below.

The troops arrived in Sydney on 27th February and after leave, were transferred to Kairi Camp in the Atherton Tableland, North Queensland, where they reorganised and trained for opposed landings and jungle warfare. After four months, Mick and the 2/43rd left Cairns on 8th August aboard the troop-transport, Manoora, bound for Milne Bay, New Guinea. Two days later, the troops disembarked at their destination on 10th August.

On the night of 5th September, the battalion under the command of Lieut-Col. R. Joshua M.C. participated in the 9th Division’s amphibious landing at Red Beach, to the north-west of Lae. For eleven days the troops encountered stiff resistance from the Japanese as they fought their way through jungle and swamp to the outskirts of Lae. The final assault on Lae itself met with little resistance from the retreating enemy and the village fell to the 7th and 9th Divisions on 16th September.
Within a fortnight of the Lae operation, the 24th Brigade was sent to support the 20th Brigade which had already landed at Scarlet Beach, to the north of Finschhafen. The 2/43rd Battalion moved from its camp to awaiting destroyer transports on 29th September and after an overnight dash eastward along the Huon Peninsula, were ashore at Scarlet Beach before dawn the following day. For the next four months Mick’s battalion campaigned in the area to the south towards Finschhafen and inland, controlling all the tracks leading into Scarlet Beach to protect the beachhead there. Meanwhile, the 2/28th and 2/32nd Battalions had captured several Japanese strongholds to the north of Scarlet Beach. The enemy launched several unsuccessful counter attacks and by early December, the 2/43rd had joined in the defence of an outpost known as Pabu, to reinforce the 2/32nd.

In the New Guinea jungle, mosquitos also became the enemy of the troops. On 13th October Mick was evacuated by the 2/8th Australian Field Ambulance with a severe case of Pyrexia, a fever of unknown origin (PUO), and transferred to the x-list. Three days later, he was evacuated from the 2/8th to the 2/5th AGH. Mick stayed in the hospital until 30th October, when he was evacuated to 113 Australian Convalescent Depot. He remained in convalescence for two weeks, then was discharged to the New Guinea Details Depot. Finally, on 21st November he was taken on strength again with the 2/43rd Battalion.

Mick’s return to active duty may have been a bit premature though. On 29th November he was evacuated to 2/3rd Australian Casualty Clearing Station with Dengue Fever and transferred again to the x-list. Two days later, he was moved from the 2/3rd to 106 ACCS. By 15th December he was ready to be discharged from the clearing station and transferred to the 9th Division’s Recovery Camp, and at last, on 23rd December, he was Taken on Strength again with his 2/43rd Battalion.
The battalions had continued to push inland through December, though seriously depleted by tropical illnesses. The ravages of the jungle covering the last four months of 1943 in the Finschhafen area saw the 2/43rd Battalion lose around four times more of its soldiers through evacuation of the sick, than the number lost as casualties to the Japanese. The battalion was relieved shortly before Christmas and Mick and his mates enjoyed the joyous occasion in good spirits during respite from active operations and from sickness recovery in the camp set up near Scarlet Beach. On 23rd January 1944, the 2/43rd embarked on the Victory ship, Thomas Corwin, for a cramped and uncomfortable voyage homeward to Australia, where they were landed at Townsville on 31st January.

Following a period of well-deserved leave, the battalion returned to camp at the Wayville Leave and Transit Depot (LTD). No sooner back and Mick was AWL again from 2100 hrs on 4th March to 1000 hrs the following day, for which the Depot C.O. awarded him a fine of three pounds and an automatic forfeiture of nine days pay. Prior to this, Mick had been classified as ‘Proficient’ on the 5th July 1943. However, on 14th March 1944, his entitlement to proficiency pay ceased, due to breach of good conduct.

The following month, on 7th April, Mick was evacuated with suspected malaria to 121 AGH and was transferred to the x-list from LTD SA. Six days later he was discharged from 121 AGH to the General Details Depot SA (GDD SA).

It was becoming increasingly obvious Mick didn’t think he was being allowed enough short leave. On 22nd April he gave himself a ‘long weekend’. As well as committing an offence of being AWL from 1400 hrs on 22/4/44 to 1430 hrs on 25/4/44, he was charged with ‘Failing to appear at his place of parade appointed by his C.O’. On 26th April he was fined five pounds and given seven days confined to barracks by Admin Command, GDD Wayville and automatic forfeiture of three day’s pay.

No sooner had he been ‘taken on strength’ again with the 2/43rd Battalion on 7th May, than, the following day, he was evacuated once more to 2/1 CCS with Malaria BT (benign tertian – a fever that occurs only every other day). After ten days he returned to his unit.
However, perhaps Mick was still feeling somewhat ‘delirious’? On 3rd June it was recorded that he committed an offence by “Failing to appear at the place of parade appointed by his C.O.” As a result he was “Admonished by the Officer Commanding HQ Coy 2/43rd Battalion” two days later.

But by 21st July, he was back in the 2/2 AGH again following a relapse in his battle with Malaria. By 5th August Mick was back with the 2/43rd once again.
A 6th December notation on Private Haydon’s service records indicated that he had ‘Qualified proficient’ again on 22nd October.

By the beginning of 1945, the 2/43rd Battalion had reformed at Ravenshoe on Queensland’s Atherton Tablelands and began a further period of training in jungle operations, which extended into March, 1945.

But prior to this, Mick was apparently continuing to be noncompliant in his ways when, on 26th February, he was yet again charged with the offence of “Conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline”. This time he appeared to be let off lightly when the acting Officer Commanding HQ Coy 2/43rd Australian Infantry Battalion awarded him three days confined to barracks.

By now, General Douglas MacArthur’s effective ‘island hopping’ strategy had the Japanese falling back toward their homeland and it was time for the 9th Division to re-join the fighting. In early April the division embarked on the General H.W. Butner at Townsville and sailed for Morotai in the Halmaheras, a staging point for amphibious operations on Borneo. However, five days into the voyage, Mick was evacuated to the ship’s hospital with acute tonsillitis. On 17th April, the day after the vessel’s arrival, he was evacuated to 2/5th AGH.

Two days later, he was discharged from hospital, following acute pharyngitis, for the Moratai Transit Camp. Mick eventually re-joined his unit on 20th April.
On 1st June, his unit embarked at Moratai onboard LCI 955 (Landing Craft Infantry) “for services in British North Borneo”.

In a final campaign to defeat the enemy, a grand combined operation involving navy, army and air force in Borneo commenced with the 24th Brigade landing on Labuan Island on 10th June. The 2/43rd and 2/28th captured the island in eleven days with enemy soldiers falling back into British North Borneo.
In an operation to clear the mainland of Japanese, the Division Commander had the 24th Brigade cross Brunei Bay in landing craft, with the 2/32nd Battalion landing at Weston on 17th and the 2/43rd and 2/11th Commando Squadron landing at Menumbok and Mempakul two days later.

The 2/43rd and 2/32nd Battalions moved on Beaufort, meeting up and attacking the town on 26th June. During fierce fighting on 28th June, Private Leslie Thomas Starcevitch was awarded the Victoria Cross when his section came under fire from two enemy machine-gun posts. Using his Bren gun, Starcevitch attacked and cleared each post single-handedly, then later, repeated the action again, capturing a further two posts. Beaufort itself was captured by the Australians the next day on 29th June.
Whilst the battalion was still in action with the enemy in the Beaufort area, Japan’s surrender was announced on 15th August, 1945 and formally signed on 2nd September. Thus, to Mick Haydon’s great delight, the signings brought the hostilities of World War II to a close.

On 23rd September at Brunei Bay, Mick was seconded to Holding Station 1ABSADD for discharge, having been allotted special demobilization priority of ‘Longser’ (Long Service).

Then, on 3rd October at Labuan, he was “Enplaned for Singapore for staff duties on PE (Pre-embarkment?) ships returning to Mainland, and marched out to SA/GDD (Group Disbandment Depot) for discharge (LONGSER).”

Following the end of the war, the ranks of the 2/43rd Battalion thinned, with its soldiers either discharged, transferred, or volunteering for the occupational forces in Japan.

On 1st November, Mick was back in South Australia at LTD Hampstead (Leave & Transit Depot) for completion of paperwork for ‘disposal’ from the 2/43rd Australian Infantry Battalion.

Private Mick Haydon was officially discharged from the Australian Military Forces on 6th November 1945 on Authority List No.184/45. The remnants of the battalion returned to Australia in January 1946 and the 2/43rd Battalion was disbanded at Puckapunyal on 22nd February 1946.

After the war, Mick returned to Saddleworth and took up droving again. He later learned to shear, eventually becoming a ‘gun shearer’ and ultimately a shearing gang rep. He met local girl, Connie Venning, who he married on 3rd March, 1951. Mick and Connie had three girls, Marilyn, Pauline and Sandra. In retirement, Mick served as a greenkeeper for a good number of years at the Saddleworth Bowling Club.

Mick Haydon, “Rat of Tobruk’, Frontline Infantryman and veteran of North Africa and South-West Pacific campaigns died on 31st December, 1997, aged 78 years.

2/43rd Australian Infantry Battalion

Casualties: Killed in action – 186, Died of wounds – 57, Died, other causes – 12, Wounded in action – 556, P.O.W. – 35; Total – 846

Decorations: V.C. – 1, D.S.O. – 2, M.C. – 13, D.C.M. – 3, M.M. & Bar – 1, M.M. – 22, M.B.E. – 1, B.E.M. – 1, M.I.D. – 45.

Battle Honours:

North Africa, 1941-42,
Defence of Tobruk,
Tell el Makd Khad,
Defence of El Alamein Line,
El Alamein,
South West Pacific,
1943-45, Lae-Nadzab
Busu River
Finschhafen
Defence of Scarlet Beach
Pabu
Borneo
Labuan
Beaufort

Compiled by Dave Rickard

From:

Australian War Memorial – 2/43rd Battalion War Diary
Combe, Gordon Desmond; Ligertwood, Frank; Gilchrist, Tom – “The Second 43rd Australian Infantry Battalion 1940-1946”
Second 2/43rd Battalion A.I.F. Club Inc. 1972
Hon. R. J. Hamer MP (later Sir Rupert) – Personal war-time diaries 1940-41
Personal service records of Pte M. F. Haydon