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George Hayes 1925 - 2011

Henry Irving
Henry Irving Posts: 85,225
edited May 2011 in General Charlton

As some of you already
know or will have read in the
Hartlepool programme my dad, George Hayes, died on 3 May after
a short illness aged 85

Myself and my
brothers are very grateful for all the condolences from fellow Addicks and from
the Club.   George was an Addick from
1934 when he saw Charlton draw 2 – 2 with Palace and it was him we have to
thank for making us, and later our three sons,  Addicks.

It is his funeral
tomorrow so please indulge me why I retell a small part of his long and varied life

 In 1943, after he
had completed basic training the Army have discovered that George had joined up
under age as a seventeen year old.



George found he was in limbo awaiting his 18th birthday and a
posting but still in the Royal Engineers. 
He volunteered for every posting that came up but as he was underage no
one would take him.

While off duty
but without a pass his passion got the better of him and he would head off to
the Valley to watch his beloved Charlton. After doing this on a number of occasions
the army decided to teach him a lesson and keep him away from the Valley by
sending him to a barracks in the
Midlands. When he arrived, he was ordered to report to the
Sergeant in charge of physical training for punishment.



On meeting George the Sargeant asked him what he was being punished for, much to the
Sgt's surprise George told him that it was his fault.

As you could
imagine the Sgt was taken aback by this response until George explained to Sgt
Don Welsh (the Charlton Captain) he had been going to see him play football.
Over the following week dad took the punishments handed out by Sgt Welsh, but
on the Saturday instead of more work cleaning the gym etc the Charlton Captain
took George with him to Charlton. This went on for several weeks until a
disappointed George had to report back to his unit.

Finally, Dad volunteered for Bomb Disposal. So few
people wanted to be close to 500 lbs, 1000 lbs or even bigger unexploded Nazi
bombs that they would even take him when under-age.

 Dad spent his
time in the Royal Engineers digging up unexploded German bombs or British mines
left on English beaches in case the invasion had ever come. 

 He wrote a poem
about those times and it is displayed, along with a photo of George, in the
Britain at War Museum.    

 

Summer 1944



These summer days of 44,

Here on
England’s southern shore,

Not in some foreign field,

But here, in
England, mines were tilled.



Beneath the feet where none can see,

Lie menacing cans of T.N.T.

Overhead a seagull cries,

On the beach a young man dies.

 

Over the years he
was occasionally asked if one of the bombs he was working on had ever gone
off.  He would look sideways at the person and reply  “No, because if
it had I wouldn’t be here talking to you now would I”.  

 

Terence George Vincent Hayes Born: St Mary St Woolwich 1925 Died: QE Hospital  2011

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Comments

  • cfgs
    cfgs Posts: 11,476
    Now that is what I call an interesting life, RIP a true Addick and a hero
  • wwtone
    wwtone Posts: 176

    You had a Dad, Ben , of whom you can rightly be very proud.

    His contribution to the war efford can't be measured in words.

    RIP to a true Addick .

  • Richard J
    Richard J Posts: 8,033
    RIP
  • drawnablank
    drawnablank Posts: 775
    RIP
  • mart77
    mart77 Posts: 5,658

    What a quality story.

    Hope tomorrow goes as well as possible.

    RIP George.

  • Half Nelson
    Half Nelson Posts: 408
    RIP George.
  • Weegie Addick
    Weegie Addick Posts: 16,522
    RIP.
    That's a fantastic story, Ben.  Many condolences to you and all the family.
  • Scoham
    Scoham Posts: 37,376
    RIP
  • lancashire lad
    lancashire lad Posts: 15,626
    Thanks for sharing your Dad's story Ben. 

    Condolences to you and your family.

    R
  • T_C_E
    T_C_E Posts: 16,420

    RIP

    Mr Hayes.

    Our thoughts are with you and your family.

    Ray

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  • LoOkOuT
    LoOkOuT Posts: 10,857
    RIP. Thinking of you and your family.
    Adam
  • creepyaddick
    creepyaddick Posts: 6,152
    RIP George

    Our thoughts are with you and your family Ben

    Reg
  • March51
    March51 Posts: 3,256
    A dad to be proud of indeed, Ben. Condolences to you and yours. RIP.
  • seth plum
    seth plum Posts: 53,448

    RIP

    A dad to be very proud of, and I am sure he is proud to be your father, and a grandfather.

    Sad,

    strength to you.

  • gilbertfilbert
    gilbertfilbert Posts: 2,282
    RIP.

    Thank you for sharing your dad's wonderful story.

    My condolences.

    Graham


  • Floyd Montana
    Floyd Montana Posts: 3,730
    Very moving.
    A very special man.
    I hope the coming weeks are as good as they can be for you and your family.
  • uie2
    uie2 Posts: 4,596
    RIP george
  • LargeAddick
    LargeAddick Posts: 32,561
    RIP George.

    Sincere condolances to all your family Ben
  • Very sorry to hear your sad news Ben and enjoyed the lovely story of his early years following us. 

    Sympathies to you, all your family.

  • Redmidland
    Redmidland Posts: 44,700
    I echo others comments on here Ben. Your father as quite clearly a brave and a special man. I hope tomorrow goes as well as it can.
    My condolonces to you and your family, hold onto your memories it really does help as time passes.

    RIP Mr Hays
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  • mid_life_crisis
    mid_life_crisis Posts: 3,263
    Sounds like your Dad was a very courageous man and we all owe him, and others like him, a great debt.
    Sincere condolences to your family.
    RIP.
  • HarryHutchens
    HarryHutchens Posts: 541
    RIP
  • D_F_T
    D_F_T Posts: 1,154

    Sounds like a great man.

    Condolences to you and all his family and friends.

    R.I.P. 

  • nolly
    nolly Posts: 12,122
    Lovely story,hope it goes as well as it can go tommorow,what a intresting life he had even in that small snippet you put up. RIP George
  • Henry Irving
    Henry Irving Posts: 85,225
    Thanks Guys for all your kinds words.  Very much appreciated.


  • oohaahmortimer
    oohaahmortimer Posts: 34,149

    thought it was gonna be another famous person who had passed away , who i didn't know!

     

    RIP fellow addick , what a great story

  • Friend Or Defoe
    Friend Or Defoe Posts: 18,091
    R.I.P.

    It sounds like he lived a fantastic life.
  • Covered_End_Lad
    Covered_End_Lad Posts: 5,725
    RIP
  • Solaraddick
    Solaraddick Posts: 460
    Thanks for sharing those memories and thoughts with us, Ben
    Condolences from Mrs R and me.
    Clive R
  • kingston
    kingston Posts: 288
    A Dad to be very proud of.

    RIP  George Hayes