Eric Charles Hayes was born on 19 June 1896. He was educated at Sleaford School, Lincolnshire. He entered the Norfolk Regiment on 10 April 1915. He served on the Western Front in the 1st Battalion, and in Italy in November 1917. After the war he served in Russia and was captured by the Red Army. On returning to England he was promoted to captain and attended Staff College, after which he became a staff officer. On 28 Sep 1938 he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel, commanding the 2nd Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment.
At the outbreak of WW2 Lt-Col Hayes led the battalion to France as part of the BEF; the men were put to work digging trenches in anticipation of a repeat of the type of warfare experienced in WW1. Hayes returned to the UK to be appointed CO of the Company Commanders’ School. He was then, in August 1940, given command of 35th Infantry Brigade which became 169th (London) Brigade, carrying out anti-invasion duties. On 22 Sep 1941 he was promoted to major-general and commanded the Yorkshire County Division. But two months later he was posted to the 3rd Infantry Division. In June 1942 this Division had a tank brigade added to form an experimental mixed division. But the idea was eventually abandoned.
Hayes was next posted to West Africa, from Jan 1943, but soon returned to England to command the East Central District. In Jan 1945 he was appointed GOC British Troops in China and witnessed the surrender of Japan in China in Sep 1945. In 1946 he was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB). He retired from the army on 20 Jan 1947 but was appointed Colonel of the Royal Norfolk Regiment on 9 Feb 1951. However, he was Colonel for only 7 months as he died suddenly after a short illness on 25 August 1951.
He was married to Florence Lilyanne Sudreau in 1924.
