HAYTON Gilbert

8/2614, Sergeant, 1st Battalion, Otago Regiment, WW1

Home Guard Service WW2

CITATION

Distinguished Conduct Medal

Gazetted 28 March 1918

For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty.  During the attack he followed the advancing troops through a severe machine-gun barrage, and laid a telephone line forward.  On the NCO in charge of the forward signal station becoming a casualty he immediately took command of all the battalion signal communications, and when his forward post had been severely damaged by shell fire he established communications over an area continually swept by heavy shell-fire.  For two days he maintained all his lines as well as visual stations at brigade headquarters, and by his thorough organisation of the means of communication he displayed high powers of leadership and resource

Military Medal

Gazetted 17 December 1917

Operations Gravenstafel – 1 October to 5 October 1917.  For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty.  On the night of 2nd/3rd October in the sector east of Ypres, the enemy placed a barrage round Battalion Headquarters in the Line, and cut the wires on three separate occasions so that telephonic communications with the Front Line Companies was cut off.  As the enemy had been threatening to counter-attack several times it was essential that communication with the Front Line Companies by telephone should be maintained as far as possible.  Lance Corporal HAYTON went out through the barrage on three occasions and successfully repaired the wire although the barrage was placed so close to Headquarters that the roof was twice hit by a 5.9 shell, and a third similar shell fell right at the entrance.  It was wholly owing to the bravery and devotion to duty of this non-commissioned officer that Headquarters was able to keep the necessary touch by telephone with the front at such a period.

KNOWN AWARDS

Distinguished Conduct Medal

Military Medal

1914-15 Star

British War Medal

Victory Medal

War Medal 1939-45 Star

New Zealand War Service Medal

NOTES

Born 22 June 1886, Yorkshire, England

Died 2 March 1964, Silverstream, New Zealand

THE PRO PATRIA PROJECT