Decorated WW1 soldier honoured with estate name

A World War One soldier who was awarded a gallantry medal three times will have a housing development in Nottinghamshire named after him.

Cpl Ernest Hayes, who was born in Cotgrave in 1898, was awarded the Military Medal on three occasions for his service on the Western Front in 1918.

He was one of only 180 men out of 115,600 to achieve this feat for actions during the conflict.

Work on Hayes View, a 45-home estate in Cotgrave, has already started, with homes set to be available from spring next year.

The Military Medal was brought in during World War One and was third in order of rank below the Victoria Cross and Distinguished Conduct Medal.

Cpl Hayes was enlisted with the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, also known as the KOYLI, in 1916, and after training was sent to France.

According to the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry Regimental Museum in Doncaster, he was injured twice, once from a gunshot and once by an artillery shell.

While the records are not entirely clear, his first Military Medal appears to have been awarded on 13 March 1918 and the second in October, but there are no details of the action.

However, his unit's war diary gives a fuller account of the third medal, which was won on the Sambre Canal on 4 November.

It states: "In the face of an intense enemy artillery and machine gun barrage he led his Lewis gun section forward through very close country with great skill, on to his objective."

It goes on to say: "He was utterly regardless of personal danger and his calm method of picking up target after target had a most inspiring effect on the men."

Town councillor Sam Mitchell, who is also chairman of the local Royal British Legion branch, said: "We thought it would be good to get road or a street after him but we had a word with the developer and they are naming the whole estate after him.

"He had an older brother, John, who was killed at the Somme in 1916, so it is a tribute to both of them."

Ernest Hayes was 39 when he died on 19 February 1938, and was buried in Beeston Cemetery.

Karl Edwards, managing director for Allison Homes in the East Midlands, said: "It's fantastic to be able to recognise this remarkable local person, with the help of local councillors, as we mark the start of this exciting new development in Cotgrave.

"There is already a brilliant sense of community here, and this name acts as a symbol of our efforts to build on that."

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