Great War Dead of Addlestone Surrey

Eustace was the youngest son of Eva Hadden and the Reverend R H Hadden, who, along with being a priest (St Mark’s, in North Audley Street, Westminster), was also the Chaplain-in-ordinary to Queen Victoria and later an Honorary Chaplain to King Edward. The family home was at Hazel Hatch in Addlestone, Surrey and his brother Archibald Hadden is also named on the St Augustine’s memorial. Eustace was educated in Westminster and later attended Christ Church Oxford.

When he was still an undergraduate at Oxford, Eustace joined the 4th Battalion, Territorial Force in the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry and was promoted to Second Lieutenant with his appointment being published in the London Gazette on Tuesday 29th November 1908. In 1910 he was attached to the 52^nd Light Infantry at Shornecliffe and a year later in September 1911 he was promoted to Lieutenant.

In 1912, although still in the Ox and Bucks Light Infantry, Eustace was called to the bar of the Inner Temple and became a Barrister. This in turn led in 1913 to Eustace going to Siam (now Thailand) where he worked in a legal role for the Siamese government. A year later Eustace returned to England and once again became active in his Territorial Battalion and was soon promoted, this time to Captain, with his appointment being announced in the London Gazette on Tuesday 1^st September 1914.

In 1915, as the Great War escalated, Eustace was sent to France/Flanders with his 4^th Battalion and he very soon became a casualty, having been wounded in the face. There were concerns that he would loose his eyesight but he remained in France/Flanders for his treatment and did not have to be returned to England. Eustace recovered quickly from this wound and soon returned to his regiment where again he was promoted; this time to Temporary Major, becoming the most Senior Officer in his Battalion.

On the 7^th June, 1916 Eustace was once again admitted to hospital (in Abbeville), although not due to any war related injury this time, he was suffering with appendicitis. Eustace was operated on the same day that he was admitted but they were unable to save him and he died four days later on June 11^th. Eustace was 25 years old when he died and, despite his age, he had been commanding his battalion for some time. His death was announced in the Times on Wednesday 14^th June. Eustace is buried in Abbeville Communal Cemetery, about 50 miles south of Boulogne, France.

Abbeville Communal Cemetery

Eustace's Grave

Cemetery photographs courtesy of Bob Pike

Eustace Hadden photograph courtesy of Andy Hadden