Cpl. A. Hayes

FIRST NAMES: Arthur

UNIT: 4th Dragoon Guards

NUMBER: 9496

STATUS: Died of Wounds

DATE OF DEATH: 5th October 1915

CEMETERY OR MEMORIAL: Chocques Military Cemetery

AGE: 17

Arthur Hayes was baptised in Northallerton on 28th January 1898. His parents were called John and Mary and lived in Bowmans Yard, Northallerton. John Hayes was a Blacksmith and was born in Logon, Ireland. He died on 15th February 1908. In 1901 the family consisted of John and Mary and their 8 children, ranging in age between 17 and 10 months old, of which Arthur, aged 3, was the second youngest.

In 1911 Arthur was recorded as working as a post office telegraph messenger. The family still at home then only consisted of Arthur, his older sister Emily and his younger sister, Violet, who was born after the 1901 census.

According to the CWGC records his next of kin at the end of the War, was his mother who was living at Waterloo Yard, Northallerton.

Arthur died of wounds at No. 1 Casualty Clearing Station, which was stationed at Chocques from 28th January 1915 to 15th April 1918 and was buried in the cemetery which was created to cater for those men at the CCS who did not recover from their wounds. He was only 17 years old when he died and yet he had risen to the rank of Corporal in the elite Dragoon Guards.