218792 Grdsmn. William Haywood British Army 1st Batt Welsh Guards from:Merthyr Tydfil My grandfather, William Haywood was one of the first civillians to enlist in the Welsh Guards. He enlisted on 13th March 1915 at the age of 34. He left behind a wife and 5 children. On the same day as enlisting, he was put on a train to Caterham, where he underwent basic training for the next 157 days.
On completion of training he was shipped to France with the 1st Battalion on 17th August 1915, arriving at Havre on the 18th. They moved onto St Omer on 20th August, where they remained until 27th Sept 1915. At midday they received orders that they were to march to Loos at 2pm and were involved in the battle shortly after their arrival. Christmas Day 1915 was celebrated at La Gorgue and they remained there until 15th February 1916, whereupon they marched back to Estaires.
On 16th March the battalion was moved by train to Ypres where they again saw action up until July 1916. After the battle of Ypres they were sent to the Somme, which was by far the most outrageous encounter of all. After the battle they returned to Neuville and then by train to St Omer. They marched through the village of Compayne - it was exactly a year and 9 months since they had entered their first battle at Arques.
October 10th saw them back in action in the third battle of Ypres. The casualties totalled 451, which was less than in previous battles. Among the casualties was Guardsman 789 William Haywood, who received a gun shot wound to the head. My grandfather returned to Great Britain in November 1917, due to his injuries. His service record supplied to me by the Welsh Guards says that on 14th December 1918, 789 William Haywood discharged, surplus to military requirements, having suffered impairment since entering into the service.
Guardsman Haywood was batman to Captain Frank Lewis Thornhill Barlow, MC with whom he remained in contact after the war had ended and up to my grandfather's death in 1940.
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