Private
Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) | 23208 | 9th & 12th Battalions |
Biography
On the original Roll of Honour in St Mary’s, Crich, is listed ‘Pte. Jas. Byard’. The likely individual is the James Byard, son of William Henry and Mary Ann Byard, who was born at Bolehill, Wirksworth, and lived at Park Head, Crich at the time of the war. He worked as a stone mason and had married Ellen Jones in 1905. He served with the 9th and 12th Foresters. In Dec 1915 he was posted to the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force on 31st December 1915 and served in Gallipoli. He was demobbed 23rd July 1919.
Sherwood Forester Note [
BYARD James – 9th battalion and then 12th Pioneer battalion. Would have been on Gallipoli with the battalion. Balkans should read MEF (Mediterranean Expeditionary Force) on Medal Index Card. Enlisted Feb 1915 and L/Cpl. Possibly taken ill and sent to UK, then out to 12th Pioneer Battalion. Many men ended up getting all sorts of diseases on Gallipoli.
Crich School log book [
]"22nd June, 1915 - Private Byard of the 3rd Sherwood Foresters, visited the school this morning to visit and say “Good-bye” to his children, as he has been ordered to proceed at once to the Dardenelles. As the whole school had just assembled in the large room, the whole school sang “God of our Fathers” for him, and gave him a cheery send off."
Medal Index Card
Awarded the Victory, British War and 15-Star Medals
He
entered the Balkans War 31 December 1915
Demobbed
to Z Reserve 23 July 1919.
His uncle John William Byard is on the Roll.
1891: The Moor, Wirksworth
Forename | Surname | Relationship | Age | Occupation | Where born |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Francis | Byard | Head | 55 | Stonemason | Ashleyhay |
Rachel | Byard | wife | 51 | Wirksworth | |
Andrew | Byard | son | 19 | Labourer | Bole Hill |
Herbert | Byard | son | 12 | Scholar | Bole Hill |
James | Byard | grandson | 8 | Bole Hill |
1901: The Moor, Wirksworth
Forename | Surname | Relationship | Age | Occupation | Where born |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Francis | Byard | Head | 66 | Stonemason | Ashleyhay |
Rachel | Byard | wife | 62 | Wirksworth | |
Joseph H | Byard | son | 22 | Clay modeller & mouder | Wirksworth |
James | Byard | son | 18 | Clay moulder | Wirksworth |
1911: Parkhead, Crich
Forename | Surname | Relationship | Age | Occupation | Where born |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
James | Byard | head | 27 | Stonemason | Bole Hill Wirksworth |
Ellen | Byard | wife | 29 | Spalding | |
George William | Byard | son | 4 | Bole Hill Wirksworth | |
Marther Mary | Byard | daughter | 1 | Bole Hill Wirksworth |
1939 Register: Breamfield Lane, Wirksworth
James Byard b.15 June 1882; stone mason
Ellen Byard
b.3 December 1880