Source: Via Mark Carmichael Excel spreadsheet dated September 2025 re. soldiers of the 116th Battalion that served with the 18th.
Family Search: When Private William Henry Hayes was born on 3 May 1879, in Georgetown, Halton, Ontario, Canada, his father, John Hayes, was 39 and his mother, Ellen Mary McBride, was 32. He married Alice Rebecca Davidson on 6 February 1919, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They were the parents of at least 3 sons and 4 daughters. He lived in Terra Cotta, Peel, Ontario, Canada in 1922 and Chinguacousy, Peel, Ontario, Canada in 1931. He registered for military service in 1915. In 1931, at the age of 52, his occupation is listed as labourer in Chinguacousy, Peel, Ontario, Canada. He died on 3 November 1956, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, at the age of 77, and was buried in Glen Williams Cemetery, Halton Hills, Halton, Ontario, Canada.
Private William Henry Hayes. Regimental no. 775492.
This man enlisted with the 126th Overseas Battalion at Brampton, Ontario on 3 December 1916. He was a labourer and had no prior military experience.
HE arrived aboard the SS Empress of Britain at England on 24 August 1916, and was made an Acting Sergeant at Bramshott Camp on 14 August 1916. He was then transferred to the 116th Battalion and reduced to the rank of Private on 15 October 1916 at Witley Camp.
A transfer to the 18th Battalion was effected on 28 November 1916, with him arriving “in the field” to the Battalion on 3 December 1916.
He was charged with neglect of duty on 30 April 1917 and subject to 14 days of Field Punishment No. 1.
He contracted Trench Fever and was sent to No. 4 Canadian Field Ambulance on 10 May 1917 and the fever got worse and was suspected to be Enteric Fever (severe). He was sent to England for treatment, being transported aboard the H.S. Jan Breydel on 22 June 1917.
He was discharged from the hospital and transferred to the 4th Canadian Reserve Battalion at Bramshott Camp and was sent to the Continent, arriving at the Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp on 22 May 1918.
At that time, he was transferred to the 8th Battalion, which he joined on 15 August 1918, and was wounded with a GSW to the right forearm, requiring him to return to England for treatment on 4 September 1918.
He recovered from his wounds and was returned to Canada.
He was discharged as medically unfit at Toronto, Ontario, on 26 March 1919.
He was recorded to be living at Terra Cotta, Ontario in 1922.
History of the 18th Battalion CEF, "The Fighting Eighteenth" 