Ashtead War Memorials - WWI - Lieut Arthur Cecil Thomas Hayter, 1st Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment

Arthur [birth registered 6/1890 at Brentford] was the second son of Thomas Miller Hayter [born 22 June 1839, died 28 February 1907], Vicar of St Dunstan’s, East Acton, London, from 1879 until his death, and Agnes Julia Vernon née Bonnin. His parents had married on 5 January 1886 but his Mother survived only until 1893 when she died, aged only 31 (“of Shalimar, Ewell, Surrey”), after the birth of a third son.

Having been educated at “Luptons”, The Philberds School, Maidenhead, 1901-1906, and West Wratting Park, 1906-1908, Arthur took an examination on 8 March 1908 to gain admission to the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst.

Commissioned as a Second Lieutenant around 1911, he joined the 2nd Battalion Norfolk Regiment which, on 12 March in that year, had embarked on Motor Vessel Plassey for India. The Battalion was stationed at Belgaum, Bombay, and there is a record from 1911 of ACT Hayter being a member of a team competing at polo for a challenge cup presented by the Norfolk Regiment. Hayter was gazetted for promotion to Lieutenant with effect from 16 July 1913.

Although the 1st Lincolnshires served in India at the same time it was located at Kirklee. Lieutenant Hayter must have been seconded to this Regiment for service in Europe, as Britain mobilised for the Great War, because the Norfolks were put on board SS Elephanta, in 1914, destined for Mesopotamia.

At the start of WWI, the 1st Bn. Lincolnshire Regiment had been stationed at Portsmouth but was sent to France with the British Expeditionary Force as part of 9th Infantry Brigade in 3rd Division commanded by Brigadier General FC Shaw. From October 1914, the unit was involved in the first Battle of Ypres, otherwise the Battle of Flanders, the last major engagement in the first year of the Great War.

A report of events on the day that Lieutenant ACT Hayter was fatally wounded is set out below: -

1st Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment: War Diary, 1st November 1914
"At about 1.30 a.m. a hurried order was received that the Battalion was to march to WYTSCHAETE to retake it [This village had previously been held by 2nd? Cavalry but the advance of the Elasden? Division had forced them to withdraw].

On the arrival of the Bn., about a mile from the place, they were met by the Cavalry General who ordered us to attack at once. Bn. deployed on the Right of the KEMMEL-WYTSCHAETE Road and advanced in two lines. On reaching the Railway Cutting, which lies towards the SW of the village, the Battn. were fired on by people whom we though to be Native troops as they called out several Hindustani words. We soon discovered our mistake by men going forward to investigate them were shot & several of the enemy having entered the cutting on our right fired down it into the thick mass of our men, many were killed and wounded here. We were then withdrawn about 100 yards to wait the support of the 5th Fusiliers who were to come up on our left.

The Germans meanwhile were establishing themselves rapidly, singing and smoking. At the same time as the arrival of the 5th ?th Fus. on our left, an order came from General SHAW to push the attack - the Colonel ordered us to charge the Railway Cutting in front. The Bn. advanced under a heavy fire within a few paces of the trenches when, coming up, someone giving us the order to retreat, the men fell back.

This order probably originated from the Germans and what remained of the Bn. lined up behind a little ridge of ground separating a fallow field from one of turnips and about 100 yards from the position so strongly held by the enemy. Behind us at a distance of about 150 yards was a hedgerow behind which a fold in the ground promised a certain amount of cover. To our left rear the country was absolutely open apart from a thin torn fence: this was however to prove a death trap.

Until about 6.45 a.m., we lay behind this ridge. As dawn broke we saw the people on our left retiring and in order to cover them & the retirement of the London Scottish on our right we hung on. Germans worked round our left flank; we were fired on by our own Artillery in rear, by their guns in front & by riflemen on both flanks. The place became absolutely intolerable and our only chance was to make a bolt for it.

On Colonel Smith giving the word, we got up & ran for our lives towards the dip. The enemy opening a murderous fire but probably owing to the surprise & excitement a great many of their shots went high and many of us succeeded in reaching shelter. In this place the men were roughly formed up into line as we now had to go up a long glacis-like slope. On emerging from cover, we again came under heavy fire but suffered relatively few casualties.

The remnants of the Regt. were formed up by the Colonel & the Adjutant on the eastern side of the village of LINDEN HOCK. Here we were joined by chance by other Special Reserve Officers & about 100 men who had managed to escape. At this time the Bn. numbered 175. While the engagement was in progress two urgent messages were sent back asking for support. The first man was killed before he had gone 20 yards, the second man, Private although twice hit displayed the greatest gallantry & devotion by struggling on & making his way to the General.

Later on the Regiment were put into trenches on MONT KEMMEL &, in the evening, were withdrawn and went into billets near LA CLYTTE. Here we were joined by reinforcements of 91 men under 2 Lieut. SHAW, 3 Bn. Sherwood Foresters.

CASUALTIES
[Captain KING, 2 Lieut. BARNES & 2 Lieut. LEE] Killed
[Captain JOHNSON & 2(sic) Lieut. HAYTER] Severely wounded
[Colonel SMITH] Slightly wounded
[Major BARLOW & Captain TOLLEMACHE] Wounded and & Other ranks (- not specified)

Having been reported “Wounded and Missing” it is evident that Lieutenant Hayter did not survive his injuries. Orphaned since 1907, his next of kin, in addition to two brothers and a sister, was stated to be Percy Melmoth Walters (of Messrs Walters & Co., 9 New Square, Lincoln’s Inn, WC 2), Barrister at Law, resident during WWI at Crampshaw End, Crampshaw Lane, Ashtead, an uncle. He died intestate and Letters of Administration were granted to his brother, George Keith Homfray Hayter, in respect of an estate valued at £5,977:8:8.

Brian Bouchard notes that a later resident at Crampshaw End was Brig. Gen. Francis (Frank) Maxwell (nicknamed The Brat by Kitchener) as shown by the Maxwell's will proved in September 1918. This gallant officer's name could properly have appeared on Ashtead's War Memorial as well as in St Giles, Edinburgh.

PM Walters had joined the Inns of Court OTC at the outbreak of the South African War, retired as a Corporal, but went back in August 1914 to assist with training new recruits. When the Corps moved to Berkhampstead, he gave up his practice at the Bar and joined up as Company Sergeant Major in charge of one of the double companies, later becoming a commissioned officer. Presumably he had become acquainted with Francis Aylmer Maxwell through the military and allowed the latter use of the vacant premises in Ashtead hence the will made at Crampshaw End.

Walters' wife and Hayter's Mother were sisters, daughters of JB Bonnin of Ewell.

text: Brian Bouchard: if you can add to this page please contact the editor
page added 14 Feb 2009: updated 11 Apr 2010