William Arthur Youd was born in 1895. He was the son of Arthur and Catherine Youd. He was recorded on the census of 1901 living with his family at Trimley Hall Farm, Ffrith, Hope, Flintshire. Head of the household was Arthur Youd a self employed Farmer. His wife Catherine A was 35. They had both been born in Hope. Their listed children were John 10, Sarah A 7, William A 6 and George H 1. There was a married couple who were boarders Robert and Ann Roberts both aged 70. He was a retired farmer. Cornelius Davis was a 60 year old colliery joiner – also a boarder. Joseph Storar was a Farm labourer and another boarder. Finally, Evan Edwards was a 23 year old servant – Farm Labourer. (Interestingly at a nearby farm,  Pentre Farm Ffrith,  lived another family of Youds)

In the same year as that census, Catherine Ann Youd died, leaving Arthur with the children – the youngest being a baby of 1 year. William Arthur was just 6. (Catherine Ann Youd died 1901 , Quarter Dec, District Chester Vol 8a,  page 280)

In the next census of 1911 the family still lived at Trimley Hall. Arthur Youd was 47 and still farming. His wife of 6 years was listed as Annie Youd aged 50.  The listed ‘children’ in the household were John Youd 20 a Wagoner, Sarah Ann Youd 17 was a Dairy Maid and William A Youd 16 was Working on the Farm.

UK Soldiers Who died in the Great War 1914-19 accessible on www.ancestry.co.uk confirms all the military details at the top of this page and adds that he enlisted in Caergwrle and that he Died of Wounds ‘at home’.  His Medal index card also on Ancestry lists his three medals and tells us that his first theatre of war was France and he entered it on the 2nd December 1915.

There is an index card for William Arthur in the Flintshire Roll of Honour in The County Record Office in Hawarden. It confirms his regiment and number and tells us that he served for 3 years. It says he was a Farmer’s son who had died of wounds on 21st October 1918. The card had been signed by a  Sarah A Walker. (Presumably his sister, who was by then married)

William Arthur Youd was buried in his local churchyard in Llanfynydd. His gravestone tells the last part of his story.