Robert Hayden was born in Ballarat and was a Carpenter by trade when he enlisted in the Howitzer Brigade 23, AMC on 4 September 1915 at the age of 23. His unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A7 Medic on 20 May 1916. In January 1917 he crossed from England to France where he served with the 11th then the 9th Field Ambulance. In October 1917 he was returned to hospital in England, suffering from myalgia. He returned to France in December and served through the final year of the war. After the war, while awaiting his return to Australia, he was granted leave with pay to enable him to undertake non-military employment to gain training in reinforced concrete construction. He eventually returned home as a member of the nursing staff on the Kanowna, reaching Melbourne on October 25th 1919.
Tree No. 1923