Pte 50098 Joseph Hayhurst

• Age: 26
• From: Great Harwood, Lancs
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Wednesday 1st August 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

Joseph Hayhurst was born in the June quarter of 1891 in Great Harwood, the son of Henry Hayhurst and his wife Elizabeth (nee Dean). His parents married in 1880.

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 27 Princess Street, Great Harwood. His father Henry is a 49 year old coal bagger, whilst his mother Elizabeth is aged 50, his  siblings are shown as; Theresa aged 20 and a cotton weaver, Annie aged 18  a cotton weaver, and Charles aged 14 also a cotton weaver, Joseph is 9.

His mother Elizabeth died in the December quarter of 1908 aged 57. 

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 27 Princess St Great Harwood. His father, Henry, is a widower aged 59, he was born in Accrington in 1852 and his occupation is shown as a coal bag filler in a railway goods yard. He and his wife, Elizabeth had seven children of which one died, Those listed on the Census are: Theresa aged 30, born 1881, Annie aged 28, born 1883 both are employed as cotton weavers and Joseph aged 19, born 1892 occupation drawer in a cotton mill.

He enlisted in Great Harwood and was serving in the 20th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 50098 when he was killed in action on the 01^st August, 1917 aged 26 during the Third Battle of Ypres.

He was originally reported as Missing and was isted as Missing in the Weekly Casualty List on the 18th September 1917.

The 20th Battalion diary gives details of the circumstances that the Battalion found themselves in during the early phases of the 3rd Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele). Having taken part in the initial fighting of 31st July 1917 there is a general write up in relation to the period 01st -08th August and specifics solely from the 03rd August. As such it is impossible to say exactly how each of the men who fell on 01st or 2nd August met their death.

20^th Battalion Diary 01^st August – 08^th August

The Battalion continued to hold the position taken up on the morning of 31^st July. After the first day the weather was very wet and the going very difficult, but the men’s spirits remained wonderfully good. From time to time there was very heavy enemy shelling and in addition to this machine guns and snipers were very active. The work of communication was extremely difficult and the wires to Companies and to Battalions on our flanks were repeatedly cut and were only kept going by most excellent work by our linesmen, who suffered very heavy casualties as also did the runners. 

Joseph has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Belgium.

The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates casualties from the forces of Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and United Kingdom who died in the Salient. In the case of United Kingdom casualties, only those prior 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. New Zealand casualties that died prior to 16 August 1917 are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.

The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927.

Soldiers Effects to father Henry and sister Annie, Pension to father.

His father died in the September quarter of 1918, aged 66.

He is also commemorated on the Great Harwood Roll of Honour.

We currently have no further information on Joseph Hayhurst. If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.

Note: Birth records show Joseph was born in 1891 and the Census records hold the year 1892.