Sergeant Horace Railton Hayward, 9th Light Horse Regiment.

Private Horace Hayward enlisted on the 25th September 1914, aged 21.

He came from Surrey Hills, Victoria and was a carpenter by trade.

He embarked from Melbourne on 11th February 1915 on HMAT Karroo.

He was wounded on 27th August 1915 at Gallipoli, Hill 60.

Whilst convalescing in England, Private Hayward was involved in a dramatic rescue attempt of a drowning boy in London. This report was published in the times 28th August 1916.

ANZAC’S ATTEMPT TO RESCUE A DROWNING BOY

An inquest was held a Lambeth yesterday on the body of a boy, aged seven, son of Fritz Bennesch, a German waiter interned in the Isle of Man.

Private Horace Railton Hayward of the Australian Imperial Forces, who stated that he was wounded at Gallipoli, said he was returning from Edmonton Hospital on top of a motor-omnibus when he saw the boy struggling in the Thames just by St.Thomas Hospital steps. He jumped off, ran to the Embankment, threw off his coat and dived in. The boy meanwhile had sunk and he went down after him but there was a strong tide and undercurrent and he had great difficulty in coming up to the surface himself. Eventually he swam to the middle of the river, where he was picked up by a boat.

The jury returned a verdict of “Accidental death” and added a rider praising Hayward’s gallantry and requesting the Coroner to bring it to the notice of the Royal Humane Society.

Sergeant Hayward survived the war and returned to Australia on 16th January 1919.

He died on 3rd August 1954 aged 59 and is buried in Elmore Cemetery, Victoria.