Captain Peter Hillyard Haydon DSO Royal Marines.
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Rank |
Captain |
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Name & Decorations |
Peter Hillyard Haydon DSO |
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Service |
Royal Marines |
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Unit |
OC 'Y' Troop, No 41 Royal Marines Commando |
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Attached To |
4th Special Service (Commando) Brigade |
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Operation |
Salerno Operation AVALANCHE Walcheren Operation INFATUATE
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Date of Death |
5th November 1944 |
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Place of Death |
Walcheren, The Netherlands |
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Circumstances |
Killed in Action |
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Age |
21 |
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Buried or Commemorated at |
Bergen-Op-Zoom War Cemetery |
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Grave or Memorial Number |
Section 15: Row B: Grave 3 |
Source: Commando Veterans
Captain Peter Hillyard Haydon was born in Penzance. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Marines on 17th April 1943, and promoted Temporary Acting Lieutenant on 14th June 1943.
(Peter's father, Rollo Hillyard Stafford Haydon, (B: 1898 D: 1964) was commissioned as a probationary Second Lieutenant in 3rd Battalion, the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry on 24th July 1915; his Medal Record Card shows that he was attached to 174 Co RE at some point.. Appointed to a Commission as Lt. RE on 29th Jan 1940, Rollo Hillyard was taken prisoner at Dunkirk on 26th May 1940; he was imprisoned in POW Camp Oflag VIIC at Laufen.)
In 1943 when a section commander in Q Troop No 41 RM Commando, Peter distinguished himself in combat in Italy when defending the strategic road from Salerno to Naples. Although outnumbered by the enemy and wIth his troop depleted and down to only 7 men, he asked for a rifle , so his Troop Sergeant picked one up from one of his men who had been killed, he used the rifle to shoot dead four Germans at close quarters (less than 50 metres). He was wounded multiple times; a serious shrapnel splinter wound in the buttock from an artillery shell, then other wounds including gun shot wounds in both legs; but Lt Haydon refused medical aid or evacuation. He also refused morphia so that he could remain sharp for the expected further counter-attacks. He showed conspicuous gallantry and leadership, and his troop succeeded in driving off repeated attacks by the enemy. He fainted multple times during the engagement, and only agreed to being evacuated when he was sure that his Troop had defeated the enemy. He allowed homself to be assisted back to the Aid Post by a Signals Sergeant, who ended up having to carry Lt Haydon when he collapsed and lost consciousness again.
CITATION:
On 10 Sep in the VIETRI Sul Mare defile. He was an inspiration to his men during an attack on the Troop position of which he was a section commander. When it became obvious that the position was likely to be overrun and the enemy were within a few yards of his position he sat up under fire in his slit trench and killed 4 Germans with 4 rifle shots at about 50 yards until he himself was shot through both legs. Subsequently the attack subsided and he continued to control his section until he was evacuated.
As a result of information received at a later date from other wounded Marines, his recommendation for the award of an MC was upgraded to a recommendation for the award of the Victoria Cross. After consideration the G.O.C-in-G decided to grant an immediate D.S.O instead.
"On 10 Sep 43, at VIERI SUL MARE, 41 R.M. Commando were holding a narrow defile immediately West of VIETRI through which ran the road SALERNO-NAPLES. "A" Troop, who were in position on top of the left hill, had been attacked during the forenoon suffering heavy casualties. "A" Troop Comd anticipated further infiltration on his left flank because of the very close country - terraced vineyards etc - asked for a sect of "Q" Troop who were on his left rear, held in reserve for a counter attack role, to come up on his left since he had insufficient men to watch this flank himself. Accordingly, about 1430 hrs Lieut HAYDON, "Q" Troop, took up a position with his section on "A" Troops immediate left. At 1445 hrs his position was heavily mortared and Lieut HAYDON suffered a large shrapnel wound in the buttock. Realising that this mortaring was probably the prelude to an attack, Lieut HAYDON, though in pain, refused to be evacuated and remained with his section, calmly directing the defence of his position and encouraging and inspiring his men in the attack which shortly came in and in which he was again wounded by a bullet in the thigh. This attack was successfully repulsed although firing continued and it was apparent that the enemy had not withdrawn. During a short lull, his wounds were dressed by the Troop Sgt Major of "A" Troop (C/Sgt Morgan). He again refused to be evacuated and moreover refused morphia so that he might keep his mind alert. He asked for a rifle and C/Sgt Morgan procured one for him from a dead man. Subsequently two further attacks were put in on his position, one at 1700 hrs followed swiftly by a second at 1730 hrs. It was entirely due to Lieut HAYDON'S control, the use of his fire power and because of his splendid example to his men that these attacks were driven off. During the latter, though he had fainted three time during the afternoon, he killed four Germans at close range with his rifle, with great difficulty on account of his wounds. Lieut HAYDON was finally left with seven men of his section which though outnumbered had successfully repulsed three attacks inflicting many casualties. At dusk and when the enemy had been conclusively driven from the hill, Lieut HAYDON was evacuated. He refused to allow any of his men to leave their positions where they were vitally needed in order to help him. He waited instead for the Signal Sergeant who was repairing a wireless set at "A" Troop H.Q. to complete his task, saying that he would make his way down with his assistance. On being helped to his feet he collapsed and was finally carried by the Signal Sergeant to a place on the nearby road from which he could be evacuated to the RAP...
This officer, although only 19 years old and having less than six months service in the Royal Marines, by his conspicuous gallantry and extreme devotion to duty, inspired by his example, and encouraged his few men to hold their position against superior numbers of the enemy, repelling three attacks on the position, the loss of which would have rendered the other troops ("A" Troop) position on the hill untenable. His courage, endurance and example in the face of the enemy were of the highest order"
Promoted Captain, Peter Haydon was later killed in action on Sunday 5th November 1944 during Op. INFATUATE on the island of Walcheren. Capt Haydon was OC Y Troop of No 41 Royal Marine Commando at Walcheren.
41 RM Cdo were augmented by Belgian Commandos from 4 (Belgian) Troop and Norwegian Commandos from 5 (Norwegian) Tp of No 10 (Inter-Allied) Commando, and were tasked with clearing / capturing the important German position 'W18' on Walcheren island. W18 consisted of four heavy coastal artillery guns and four anti-aircraft guns. The Norwegians set off first at 14:30 hrs, A Tp 41 Cdo following at 15:00 hrs and Y Tp 41 Cdo at 15:15 hrs. Y Tp fought hard and well but during the assault the Tp Commander Captain Haydon was shot in the leg by a sniper. His batman Mne Byron Moses went forward to rescue his officer but was immediately shot and killed by the sniper, who then killed Capt Haydon. After A and Y Tps had secured the objective, the second-in-command of 41 RM Cdo, Major Peter Wood RM brought up P Tp to help consolidate the position after the death of Capt Haydon. News of the death of Capt Haydon spread quickly throughout 41 RM Cdo and many expressed their sadness at the news of the loss of this very popular and gallant young officer.
Capt Haydpn and Mne Moses were buried in Domburg Cemetery with other casualties from 41 RM Cdo with almost all ranks of the unit in attendance; they were later reinterred in adjacent graves at the British Military cemetery at Bergen-Op-Zoom. They are commemorated on the 41 RM Commando Memorial at Domburg, where there are also memorials to 4 and 5 Tps from 10 (I-A) Cdo too.
During the action, Corporal Frank Lewis Nightingale of Y Tp won the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his courage. His Bren Gun malfunctioned so he seized a German MG34 and used this to drive the enemy back. After a while the enemy reorganised and mounted a determined counter attack but Cpl Nightingale single-handedly drove them off and forced them to take cover, whilst the remnants of his own section advanced to join him.
Primary Roll of Honour:
Grave of Capt Peter Haydon DSO RM,
No. 41 RM Commando, Bergen-Op-Zoom
Citation for the Recommendation of the Award of the Military Cross
This was later upgraded to a recommendation for the Award of the Victoria Cross, which was then downgraded to an immediate award of the Distinguished Service Order.
Family Scrapbook of Capt. Peter Haydon DSO RM.
I have kindly been given permission from Mr Simon McCarthy to use the following pages from the Haydon family scrapbook. Simon is married to the niece of Peter's surviving sibling, his sister Sally, who had previously indicated that she was happy for the archive to be used to keep Peter's memory, and the story of his incredible courage, alive.
