Joseph Haywood

Joseph was born in 1886 at Hucknall and was the son of the late James a coal miner and Mary Haywood of 7 Mellows Row, Portland Road, Hucknall Torkard Nottinghamshire. His father was James was born in 1843 in Hucknall and his mother Mary was born in 1855 also in Hucknall they were married C1874 and went on to have 6 children, sadly 3 were to die in infancy or early childhood, their surviving children were all born in Hucknall and were, Henry b1873, Joseph b1886 and Horace b1892. In the 1911 census the family are living at 7 Mellow Row, Hucknall and are shown as James 68 yrs a coal miner he is living with his wife Mary 56 yrs and their children Henry 38 yrs a coal miner, Joseph 25 yrs a coal miner and Horace 19 yrs a pony driver

He was a coal miner in 1911

Corporal Joseph Haywood, enlisted at Hucknall on 14th September and initially served with the service number 7194 in the Sherwood Foresters Regiment and later served with the 1st Battalion Leicestershire Regiment. He landed in France on 19th March 1915 and on 5th August was returned to England with a gun shot wound to his back. He was treated and recovered and on 31st December 1915 he embarked once more from Southampton for the Western Front. He was promoted to Lance Corporal on 27th March 1916 and Corporal on 28th August 1916. He died of wounds on 29th September 1916. He is buried in Abbeville Communal Cemetery Extension.

Article published 9th November 1916 in the Hucknall Dispatch :- “The first photograph in the above line is of Corporal J. Haywood, whose death from wounds was recorded in this journal the other week. He was in the 1st Leicestershire Regiment, and was twice rejected before he succeeded in enlisting on September 14th, 1914. He had previously served two years with the Notts. and Derbys., but was discharged unfit. It was his earnest desire to do his bit for his country and his home. After training at various places, including Aldershot and Port Purbrook, he was drafted to France on March 19th, 1915, and was in the thick of the fighting at Neuve Chapelle, Ypres, and Festurbert, at which place he was wounded on August 14th, 1915, while rescuing one of “Kitchener’s wounded lads,” as he put it, under heavy fire, for which act of bravery he was recommended for the D.C.M. [Distinguished Conduct Medal] Unfortunately he missed this reward, probably through being sent to the hospital at Cork. “After becoming convalescent, he came home for seven days’ leave, after which he was sent to Patricroft and Hull. In the course of three months he was again drafted to France, seeing the New Year 1916 on French soil. He was stationed at the Infantry Base for about one month, and then was sent into the trenches again. When the big push began he was transferred to the Somme, where he saw a good deal of fighting until he received wounds on September 27th, which proved fatal, dying on the 29th of September. “The news of his death came quite unexpectedly, as his relatives received a letter from him dated September 27th, saying he had been wounded, and hoping he would be in “Blighty” in about a week’s time. He also said “look out for letters; I am still above board; don’t worry, I shall be all right.” Alas! the following day they received official news of his death from wounds in a base hospital, being unconscious when admitted. A photograph of the beautiful cemetery at Abbeville for British soldiers has been received from the chaplain, who sent a very comforting letter. The deceased always looked forward to this journal. Previous to enlisting he worked at Newstead Colliery. He was single, and 31 years of age.” Above article is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918