Cemetery: Brookwood Military Cemetery

Country: England

Area: Surrey

Rank: Lieutenant

Force: Army

Official Number:

Unit: 17th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.

Country of Service: Australian

Details: M C Died of wounds (gas) 26/11/18 Aged 30 IV. G. 6. Son of Thomas and Mary E. Haigh. Native of Granville, New South Wales. William Richard Haigh Town Clerk of South Grafton William Haigh was born in New Zealand in 1889. His family had moved there from England, the family later settling in Australia. He began his municipal career at Dorrigo Council and after passing the local Government examinations in 1914 was appointed Town Clerk of South Grafton Council. In addition to his duties as Town Clerk Mr Haigh immediately took a leading role in the local war effort and in August 1915 sought , and was granted leave from Council to enlist overseas service. By early the following year he was serving on the front line with the 17th Battalion in France. On two occasions he received gunshot wounds requiring hospitalisation and in 1917 was awarded the Military Cross for conspicuous Gallantry and devotion to duty. Following his return to the front he was severely gassed in action in October 1918 and later admitted to Wandsworth Hospital, London, where he died November 26th 1918. Lieut. Haigh was accorded a full military funeral and buried in Brookwood cemetery, Surrey, UK

Photograph by TWGPP Volunteer / Additional information by John Johnson