Prescot Roll of Honour

Horace Wilfred YOUD

Address Not Known

Gunner 36325, 20th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery

Horace was born in 1893 in Helsby. He joined the army on 21st July 1910, aged 17, as Private 8679 in the Cheshire Regiment (Special Reserve), signing on for 4 years.

He recorded that he worked as a General Labourer at the Cable Works in Prescot.

However, he served for just 8 days before being discharged as he was deemed unlikely to become an efficient special reservist. This is probably due to two disciplinary entries on his record – one for urinating in the Company Passage and one for urinating outside the fire engine shed !! His officer wrote on the discharge papers, “I consider this man to be of defective intelligence”.

His papers show his wider family as being:-
Father - Samuel Youd, Ashley Gardens, Frodsham
Mother – Eliza Youd (same address)
Brother – Percy Youd, Imperial Hotel, Prescot
Brother – Thomas Youd, Whiston
Brother – Samuel Youd – RGA, Ireland
Brother Frederick Youd, Leigh, Lancashire
Sister – Cissie Youd, Helsby
Plus one other sister whose name cannot be read.

His address on discharge was Ashley Gardens, Frodsham.

On the outbreak of war, however, Horace appears to have enlisted once more, this time with the Artillery. He was included in the list of Prescot men serving the colours which was in the Prescot Reporter in May 1915. He went to France with them on 18th June 1915 but was once again discharged on 6th November 1917, aged 25. He was classed as no longer physically fit for war service.

Horace was entitled to the Silver War Badge, 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.

He died in 1963 in Liverpool.