Hayfield, G F (George Frederick)
Leask, T H (Thomas Hewetson), Lazenby, E (Edward), Hayfield, G F (George Frederick), Hammond, G T (George Thomas)
Private George Hayfield was the son of Arthur and Ada Maria Hayfield, of 44, Francis St., Coventry.
George suffered from pneumonia for 9 days before succumbing to heart failure at the end. His father Arthur was present at his time of death in the Military Hospital in Londonderry.
It is possible though that he may have died from the 1918 outbreak of the Spanish Flu pandemic.[1]
The Spanish flu is rather deceiving as it did not originate in that country of its namesake. Spain though was the first country to openly report on the pandemic due to its neutrality in the war. Therefore, the illness received its name by this association.
The outbreak began around January 1918 and ended at the end of 1920. There were three major outbreaks, each deadlier than the previous. Great efforts were made to suppress the news, but so many people were affected that it became pointless as the flu crept through the armies and into the villages, towns, and cities of Europe. There were no vaccines to protect against this flu virus or the infections, no antiviral drugs to treat it and no antibiotics to treat secondary bacterial infections like pneumonia. The only tools that authorities could implement was the promotion of good personal hygiene, isolation, and quarantine of the ill, along with the closures of public places.
There are several servicemen in the City Cemetery who possibly died of the illness, most of whom were diagnosed with meningitis, flu, or pneumonia. It especially affected young adults.
The 1st Dorsetshire Regiment had a remarkably busy and active war. They left France during April 1919, and George more than likely joined them at this stage. On arrival in the UK, they went to Ebrington Barracks in Londonderry.
George was not eligible for any medals as he did not serve abroad.
Date of Death: 05/10/1919 (Aged 19)
Service: Private, Dorsetshire Regiment, 1st Battalion.
Service Number: 41137
Burial Location: Londonderry (or Derry), City Cemetery, G. Mil. 5.
[1] Spanish Flu: 50 to 100,000,000 deaths.
