Arthur Byard (1897–1965)

Private

Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) 32313 4th Extra Reserve Battalion
Machine Gun Corps 44469 54th Battalion

Biography
Arthur was the eighth of a family of eleven children. He enlisted for service with the Foresters in Nov 1915, but was transferred to the Machine Gun Corps (upon its formation in June 1916). Whilst serving in Egypt, he was wounded four times and hospitalised with injury and sickness twice. After demob, he settled at Crich, working as a labourer. He married Mildred Saint in 1929 June qtr; (Somercotes St Thomas) and had a family.

Medal Index Card
Awarded the Victory and British War Medals
44469 MGC

Service Record
Arthur attest on the 15 November 1915, at Derby, a labourer aged 18 years 5 months. He was 5ft 4¾in tall, weighed 136lb and lived at Back Street, Fritchley. His next-of-kin was his mother Hannah Byard.
25 July 1916 transferred to the Machine Gun Corp
16 September 1916 left for Alexandria on the "Empress of Britain"
26 September 1916 Joined his Company.
4 November 1916 injured
7 November 1916 Adm. Osteomia right thigh (Cairo)
[osteomia is a new piece of bone usually growing on another piece of bone; type of benign tumour]
10 November 1916 to Hospital
12 January 1917 Rejoined from hospital
19 March 1917 Attended 24th Course M. Guns, Egypt. Lewis Guns; obtained 95% in all exams
2 December 1917 (OC 162 Coy) Wounded 27 November 1917 and remaining on duty
9 December 1917 (OC 162 Coy) Wounded 2 December 1917
5 December 1917 (24 Spy. Hospital) Gun shot wound to right arm admitted, Kantara
[Kantara was the ancient caravan station on the Suez Canal. By 1917 the largest British camp in Egypt]
31 December 1917 (Regimental Paymaster),Granted Pref, Pay Class 1 from 29 September 1917
1 February 1918 Discharged to Duty to B Depot, Abbassia
19 March 1918 Posted to 54 Div M.G. Battn
30 October 1918 to hospital, sick
4 November 1819 discharged from hospital
22 February 1919 Embarked for UK on "Canberra" from Port-Said
8 April 1919 demobbed

He was recorded as being sober, reliable, intelligent with a mechanical aptitude. A very steady conscientious worker.

Arthur served in Egypt where forces were protecting the vital route through the Suez Canal.
The photographs show a military hospital in Abbassia, (he was hospitalized in Abbassia) and the ships in which he travelled to and from Egypt.

Abbassa Hospital

Military hospital at Abbassia in 1916

Empress of Britain

Empress of Britain

SS Canberra

SS Canberra


CENSUS INFORMATION

1901: Lower Hartsay, Heage

Forename Surname Relationship Age Occupation Where born
Horatio Byard head 39 Carter on farm Ashleyhay
Hannah Byard wife 38   Ashleyhay
Walter Byard son 17 Colliery banksman Ashleyhay
William Byard son 16 Colliery banksman Ashleyhay
Ralph Byard son 14 Colliery banksman Ashleyhay
Beatrice Byard daughter 12   Ashleyhay
Elizabeth Byard daughter 10   Ripley
Hannah Byard daughter 7   Heage
Florrie Byard daughter 6   Heage
Arthur Byard son 4   Heage
Jervase Byard son 2   Heage
Harry Byard son 2 mo   Ripley

RG13 piece 3230 folio 101 page 24

1911: Fritchley

Forename Surname Relationship Age Occupation Where born
Horatio Byard head 50 Stonemason Ashlehay
Hannah Byard wife 47   Ashlehay
William Byard son 26 Coal hewer Ashlehay
Elizabeth Byard daughter 20 Hosiery hand Ripley
Florrie Byard daughter 16   Ambergate
Arthur Byard son 14   Wingfield
Jervis Byard son 11   Wingfield
Harry Byard son 10   Ripley
Willoughby Byard son 7   Ambergate

RG14PN20983 RG78PN1251 RD436 SD4 ED12 SN193

1918 Crich voters
Arthur Byard, Fritchley; absent on military service.

1939 Register: New Road, Crich
Arthur Byard b.5 March 1997; general labourer
Mildred E Byard 29 May 1902
Terence WAH Byard 30 May 1929; school