Tag Archives: South African Infantry

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, Jersey, photography, Private, South Africa, South African Infantry, story, unknown, war

Private John Payn

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Private John Payn

John le Caux Balleine Payn was born in South Africa in 1892. The sixth of seven children, his parents were Jersey-born Philip Payn and his wife, Mary, who came from the Eastern Cape.

There is tantalisingly little information available about John’s life. When war was declared in Europe, he answered the call from King and Empire, and enlisted in the South African Infantry. His regiment – the 1st – fought in North Africa and at the Somme, but it is not clear when and where he was based.

It is likely that Private Payn either had a base in the UK, or that he was hospitalised there following an illness or an injury. He passed away, through causes unconfirmed, on 4th March 1916. He was just 24 years of age.

It was impractical to repatriate John le Caux Balleine Payn’s body to South Africa for burial. Instead, he was laid to rest close to his father’s family, in St Martin’s, Jersey.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, illness, injury, photography, Private, Somerset, South African Infantry, story, war

Private Edwin Hann

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Private Edwin Hann

Edwin Robert Hann was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, to Albert Edward and Jemima Jane Hann in around 1900. Albert had been born in Glastonbury, Somerset, but had emigrated by the 1890s, where he met and married Jemima.

Research has led me to numerous dead ends regarding Edwin’s life. Hann’s tombstone shows that he enlisted in the 2nd Regiment of the South African Infantry.

The 2nd Regiment served in numerous key battles on the Western Front, including Ypres, Passchendaele, Marrieres Wood and Messines. Their last major engagement was at Le Cateau in early October 1918. Given how soon afterwards Private Hann passed away, it seems possible that he was fatally wounded – or at least suffered trauma – during this battle.

His war pension records suggest that he died at a military hospital in Woking, Surrey. A little research suggests that, unless this was the medical wing of the local army barracks, then it is likely that Hann was treated at the former Brookwood Hospital (at the time known as Brookwood Asylum or the Surrey County Lunatic Asylum).

While I can find nothing concrete to confirm this, other Brookwood records suggest that fellow patients were either suffering the effects of shell shock or mustard gas. It is reasonable to assume, therefore, that Private Hann passed away as an indirect result of the fighting on the front, rather than a direct one.

Edwin Robert Hann died aged just 18 years old. His body was brought back to his grandparents, and he lies at rest in the cemetery in Glastonbury, Somerset.