Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of George Halford, a farm labourer, born 1848 in Castle Donington, Leicestershire and his wife Jane Halford (nee Twells, married in the 4th quarter of 1871 in the Shardlow, Derbyshire district), born in the 3rd quarter of 1851 in Hemington, Leicestershire and baptised on the 13th July 1851 in St. Mary’s Church, Lockington, Leicestershire. Arthur Leonard was born in the 3rd quarter of 1893 in Castle Donington, his siblings were, John, an iron carrier, born in the 1st quarter of 1874 in Hemington and baptised on the 4th October 1874 in St. Mary’s Church, Lockington, Harry, a bricklayer’s labourer, born in the 2nd quarter of 1876 and baptised on the 4th June 1876 in St. Mary’s Church, Lockington, Betsy, a hosiery trade cutter, born in the 2nd quarter of 1886 and Thomas Bertie, born on the 17th December 1890, the latter three siblings were all born in Castle Donington, in March 1901 the family home was at Hill Top, Castle Donington. In April 1911 Arthur was employed as a garden labourer and was residing in the family home at Hill Top, Castle Donington, together with his father, a roadman, his mother and siblings, John, an iron smelter and Thomas, a farm labourer. Arthur also had the following siblings, Sarah Twells, born in the 3rd quarter of 1871 in Castle Donington, Harriett, born in the 4th quarter of 1878 in Hemington and baptised on the 1st December 1878 in St. Mary’s Church, Lockington and Jenny, born in the 3rd quarter of 1883 in Castle Donington. The family later resided at High Street, Castle Donington.
The Brigade of Guards service records all exist, but were deposited in 2018 with the Ministry of Defence in Glasgow, the exception being the Scots Guards, whose service records are now in the possession of the Trustees of the Scots Guards Charitable Trust, and are free to access. The remainder of the Foot Guards records are available at the current cost of £30.00 per inquiry (2019). As a consequence all that is known of Arthur’s military service is taken from the few documents that are currently available in the public domain. He enlisted into the Brigade of Guards in Reading Berkshire, and was allotted the service number 11874, and posted to the Guards Depot in Caterham, Surrey for training. Upon completion of his training he was posted from the Guards Depot as a Private to the 2nd Battalion Coldstream Guards, and it was with this unit that he first entered the theatre of war in France on the 22nd January 1915. Nothing further is known of his military service, until he was reported as having been killed in action on the 28th September 1915 at Vermelles, France. He was buried in Dud Corner Cemetery, Loos, France. Arthur was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. Arthur’s mother was awarded a weekly Army Pension of four shillings, increasing to five shillings, commencing on the 6th November 1918.
The War Diary records: 26-Sept-15 – Battalion paraded about 1.00 pm, marched via SAILLY LA BOURSE, VERMELLES and LA RUTOIRE and went into Reserve in the old British Front Line about 5.30 pm. In going through VERMELLES the Battalion encountered a good deal of Gas, the enemy shelling the village with gas Shells. Later in the evening orders were received to take over the British Line from the 21st Division. This was carried out and completed about 4.00 am on 27th.
The War Diary records: 27-30 Sept-15 – The Battalion spent these days in consolidating the new line, bringing in the wounded from the front, collecting large quantities of arms and equipment of the Battalion we had relieved. During these days the enemy shelled our new trenches fairly consistently. Battalion relieved by the 11th MIDDLESEX REGIMENT and got out of the trenches about midnight, marched to MAZINGARBE and went into billets early on morning of 1st October.
Casualties.
27th September. Officers, nil. Other ranks, wounded 18.
28th September. Officers nil. Other ranks, killed 1, wounded 6.
29th September. Other ranks, wounded 1.
30th September. Other ranks, wounded 3.
On Wednesday, October 13th, 1915 The Leicester Daily Post published the following article under the heading. “LEICESTERSHIRE AND THE WAR.” – THE ROLL OF HONOUR. - In a letter received from the Captain of No.3 Company, 2nd Battalion Coldstream Guards, information is conveyed to Mr. and Mrs. G. Halford of the death in action in France, on September 28th, of their youngsest son, Private ARTHUR LEONARD HALFORD, aged 22. Private Halford, unmarried, enlisted on the outbreak of war, and was drafted to France last January. Before enlistment he was a gamekeeper on Lord Burnham’s estate (Buckingham). The Captain, in sympathetic terms, says Private Halford proved himself a very good soldier in every way, and will be a great loss to the Company. He was buried about a mile from Hulloch. Mr. and Mrs. Halford live at Hill Top, Castle Donington, and Mrs. M. Cook, of Whatley Lodge, is his sister.