What is in a name? This is small historical background on the original ‘Billy’ Hayes – whose life would have appealed to Aussies of this time (and probably today!)
‘Bully’ HAYES WX11202 was KIA 12 Feb 1942 at Hill 200, Ulu Pandan, Singapore. He was just 22 years of age.
Below: Hayes and Right: Dudley Squire, the two men from ‘C’ Coy were KIA together at Hill 200, Ulu Padan on 12 Feb 1942.
‘Bully’ was with WX9330 Dudley Joseph SQUIRE from 11 Platoon climbing Hill 200 during fierce fighting – both men were riddled with machine gun bullets and killed.
Their bodies were recovered 21 Dec 1942 by Major Cough Party when 2/4th were finally given permission by Japanese to recover their dead. Their bodies, and others were buried nearby and after the war removed to Kranji Cemetery.
‘Bully’ & Squire were both with ‘C’ Coy located on south west coast of Singapore. The Japanese attack began on night of 8 Feb and continued with ever-increasing numbers of invading Japanese soldiers and bombardments. Hayes and Squires with 2/4th machine gunners were fighting for their lives.
Many 2/4th lives were lost at Hill 200 and Ulu Pandan.
Keith ‘Bully’ Hayes b.1919 East Perth to Tom and Eileen Hayes. He was the eldest of five children. There is no doubt ‘Bully’ was a family given nickname. The original ‘Bully’ Hayes was a true life (American born) buccaneer/pirate of the south seas in1850s-1870s.
‘Bully’ Hayes was born William Henry Hayes 1829 Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
‘Bully’ was a man of many skills and habits – adventurer, blackbirder, merchant ship’s master, pirate, prisoner, bigamist and swindler just to mention some. He became notorious around the Pacific Ocean from 1850s-1870. It is impossible to sift facts from fable. In later years fiction stories and films were made about ‘Bully’. We believe this is how our ‘Bully’ Hayes earned his family given nick-name!
Below: Squires with ‘Buck’ Rogers and unknown.
‘Buck’ Rogers was a science-fiction character. ‘Buck Rogers in the 25th Century ‘. The original stories were converted into popular newspaper comic strips the first appearing in 1929.
WX9005 Eric Reginald ‘Buck’ ROGERS b.1905 Berkshire, England enlisted AIF 25 Oct 1940 and joined ‘C’ Coy.
Rogers was sent to Burma end of Thai- Burma Railway with 3,000 Australian POWs from Singapore in May 1942.
Rogers survived the railway, however was believed to be ill and evacuated to Tamarkan Hospital then Nacompaton in 1944. He was recovered at the end of war from Thailand and returned to West Australia. We have no knowledge of when Rogers acquired his nickname of ‘Buck’
L-R Dudley Squires, Unknown, Buck Rogers
Dudley Squire b. 1909 Deveon, England was farming at Muckinbudin prior to enlisting AIF in Oct 1940, he joined ‘C’ Coy 11th Platoon.
He was 32 years old when he died at Ulu Padan. Squire was one of 5 machine gunners from Muckinbudin. Please read further
Below: From the Broad Arrow Standard 1897. Stories about ‘Bully’ Hayes were written in newspapers across Australia over decades.
