Gilbert Hay

Born 18 Oct 1892 - Died 18 Feb 1917

Service number: WWI 6/58 AWMM
Also known as: —
Armed force / branch: Army AWMM
Last rank: WW1 Sergeant AWMM Canterbury Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion AWMM
War: World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM

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Gilbert Hay — Nominal Roll Vol 1, Page: 315 - No known copyright restrictions No Known Copyright Restrictions

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Originally reported as a Prisoner of war in German hands; changed to killed in action on 18.2.1917 on Court of Inquiry's findings.- Chronicles of N.Z.E.F. 5.9.1917, p.33 AWMM
OLLABERRY MAN KILLED IN FRANCE.

Sergeant Gilbert Hay, Service no 6/58, served with the 1st Battalion Canterbury Regiment, New Zealand Expeditionary Force. He was the son of Thomas and Elizabeth Hay of Fiblister, Ollaberry, Shetland. His father was a farmer. On the 4th of November, 1910, Gilbert emigrated from London on SS Waiwera to Port Chalmers, New Zealand. He was employed as a Fireman at the Fire Station, Litchfield Street, Christchurch, before he enlisted on the 14th of August, 1914.

The Canterbury Battalion was formed on the outbreak of war and recruited from the four existing Territorial Regiments in the province: 1st (Canterbury), 2nd (South Canterbury), 12th (Nelson) and 13th (North Canterbury and Westland). The 2nd Battalion were part of the 2nd New Zealand Brigade.

In April 1916 the NZ Division arrived in France. On 6 April 1916, Gilbert embarked at Port Said for France. He was appointed Lance Sergeant on the 9th of October, 1916, then Sergeant on the 16th of December, 1916.

Gilbert was killed during trench operations. The 2nd Brigade has been ordered into the line to take over a sub-sector held by the right brigade of the 34th Division in the Bois Grenier Sector, south of Armentieres.

The History of the Regiment notes the following:-

"The situation appeared to call for urgent measures; and though the 1st Canterbury Battalion did not receive orders till 1 p.m., it had marched the ten miles which lay between Estaires and the trenches, and had relieved the 16th Battalion Royal Scots by 7 p.m., in the right half of the front line. By 10.45 p.m. the relief by the 2nd Brigade was completed. The sector was a quiet one on the whole, though the enemy had many trench mortars, and his artillery was active at times.

The 2nd Battalion relieved the 15th Battalion Royal Scots in reserve, having battalion headquarters and the 1st and 12th Companies at Rue Delpierre (a mile south of Erquinghem), and the 2nd and 13th Companies at Erquinghem. The expected attack did not take place, and the usual eight days' reliefs were carried out. On February 3rd the Division was notified that it would shortly be relieved by the 57th Division, and on the 4th and 5th some officers and non-commissioned officers of that Division were attached to the battalions in the line. The usual precautions to conceal the relief from the enemy were taken; but on the night of February 18th a patrol, consisting of an officer and non-commissioned officer of the 57th Division, and a non-commissioned officer and four men of the 1st Canterbury Battalion, was surprised, and all save two of its members were captured"

Notwithstanding, the relief by the 57th Division began on the night of February 25th/26th, when the 2nd/9th King's Liverpool Battalion relieved the 1st Canterbury Battalion, which marched to Estaires, was billeted there for the night, and the next day moved to Nieppe, two miles north-west of Armentières. The following night the relief was completed; the 2nd/10th King's Liverpool Battalion relieved the 2nd Canterbury Battalion, and the latter marched to billets in the Rue des Fiefs, near Sailly".

The casualties for the 2nd Battalion since their return from the Somme had been 19 killed, and 35 wounded.

Gilbert was reported missing on 18 February 1918, believed taken prisoner by the Germans. However, a Court of Enquiry decided that he had been killed in action on that date, at age 24. He is commemorated on the Cite Bonjean (New Zealand) Memorial

Sources:-
Shetland Family History Society
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
New Zealand Archives
The History of the Canterbury Regimen, Captain David Ferguson.
SWF/JS.
Public - Kendall - Other relative - 23 April 2024 - Shetland Family History Society
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
New Zealand Archives
The History of the Canterbury Regimen, Captain David Ferguson.
SWF/JS.

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Gilbert Hay

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