John ‘Jack’ Martial Haley

HALEY, John -‘Jack’ Martial- – – – – SPC 1909-1910

DoB:- – 19 June 1894, St Helens, TAS

Father:- – Thomas Augustine Haley

Mother:– – Mary Ann, nee Fox

There were three Haley brothers at St Patrick’s College; Ambrose (SPC 1908), John (SPC 1909-1910) and Urban (SPC 1910). They came to Ballarat from St Helen’s in Tasmania, as boarders. With the opening of St Virgil’s Christian Brothers College in Hobart, the Haley boys returned to Tasmania to finish their secondary education.

While at St Patrick’s College, John (-‘Jack’) was a member of the senior football team in 1910, and was also a noted violinist, training under Walter Gude (SPC Staff 1901-1941). He was awarded a Scholarship (Honours) with the Bankers Institute in 1909.

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Service No:- 1414

Rank:- – Private

Unit:– – 40th Battalion

John Martial Haley enlisted on 8 March 1916. He was 21 years and eight months old, five feet, six inches tall, with a fair complexion, blue eyes and fair hair. He was a single man, who worked as a shop assistant.

Upon his enlistment, John was assigned to the Depot, AIF Training Camp at Claremont, Tasmania. While undergoing the mandatory medical checks during the enlistment process, it was discovered that John had problems with his eyes that resulted in his being discharged as medically unfit on 20 April 1916.

The medical report in his service file states that John suffered from double vision, dating from 1908:

– -‘-¦ was cracking a whip, and was struck on left eye. Was quite blind in eye for over a year. Was under treatment for this by Dr Armstrong who reports double vision. Was quite unable to undergo military training at Claremont and previously at Ballarat [SPC Cadets].- – – Present condition -“ he complains of great aching of the eyes and head and is troubled with double vision. He cannot use a rifle and any strain produces aching of both eyes and back -¦’

So John Martial Haley did not qualify for service during the war. He married Amy Elizabeth Thompson in 1917 and they remained living at St Helens in Tasmania, with John working as a shop assistant.

John Martial Haley died on 30 April 1933 at the young age of 38. He was buried at the St Helens General Cemetery. The College could not determine if John and Amy had any children.