Arthur Nicolas Laird was born in Poplar, London on Wednesday, 8th September 1897 the younger of two sons born to Arthur William Laird and Sarah Louisa Slade. His older brother by two years was Edward Charles, who also saw service in the Great War with the 23rd Battalion Middlesex regiment and survived the conflict.

When Arthur was born his family lived at 45 Benledi Street in Poplar, a short distance from East India Docks where his father Arthur Snr. worked as a ‘Shipping Clerk’. By 1911 the family had moved around the corner to 3 Blair Street and thirteen-year-old Arthur was at school, whilst his brother Edward had started work as an ‘Assistant in a Fruit Salesroom’.

After leaving school in 1911 Arthur, like his father, worked as a ‘Shipping Clerk’ and three years later on the outbreak of war, he joined the Colours. He enlisted on the 10th November 1914 attesting in London and joining the 3/14th (Reserve) Battalion London Regiment (London Scottish). Despite being underage and ineligible to join the forces, Arthur was nevertheless accepted as a recruit aged seventeen years and three months.

His service records show that he was taller than average at 5ft 7½ins and weighed 9st 5lbs with a chest measurement of thirty-five inches and a range of expansion of four inches. His physical development is described as "Very Good", so perhaps it is no surprise that he was accepted as an underage soldier.

He served on home defence duties with the London Scottish and shortly after he was embodied, he was sent to Abbots Langley in Hertfordshire with the battalion where he undertook his basic training.

By the end of 1915 the London Scottish were on active service based out of Richmond Park Camp in West London and in September and again in November, Arthur was punished for lapses of conduct. Firstly, he was "absent without leave" for several hours whilst on "active service" for which he received extra guard duties. Secondly, a more serious offence; "Whilst on active service failing to comply with an order" which resulted in "7 days CB" (confined to barracks).

In May 1916 he was discharged from the London Scottish so that he could re-enlist for overseas service. He attested at Westminster joining the Machine Gun Corps and was posted to the 143rd Company which was under the orders of the 48th (South Midlands) Division in the 143rd Warwickshire Brigade. Just two months later and shortly before his nineteenth birthday Arthur went to France.

He left from Folkestone and disembarked in Boulogne on the 25th July 1916 and joined his Battalion six days later at Coulonvillers about seven miles east of Abbeville. Arthur was soon in action and fought in the latter stages of the Battle of Pozières and then in November in the Battle of Ancre.

On the 24th November the 143rd Company was part of the relief of the 1/4th Gloucesters in the front-line trenches and during the transfer three men were wounded, of which Arthur was one. He was admitted with gun shot wounds, first to a Casualty Clearing Station before being sent to No.9 General Hospital at Rouen five days later on the 30th November. Arthur was treated in hospital for the next twelve days, but to no avail and he succumbed to his wounds on Monday, 11th December 1916.

It appears that Arthur never lived in Hemel Hempstead, although he may well have visited when undergoing basic training at Abbot's Langley. His presence on the town war memorial is due to his mother Sarah and his brother Edward who were known to be in the town between 1918 and 1921. It seems that Edward, a fruit buyer and salesman was living and working in Hemel immediately after the war and was certainly resident in the town from 1921 onwards. He and his wife Rose were joined by his mother following his father's death in early 1921 and by 1939 they lived together at 1 Glendale Road where Sarah died in 1951.

Arthur is Remembered with Honour in St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, Seine-Maritime, France where he is interred in Grave O. III. R. 8. The inscription on his headstone, requested by his mother Sarah Louisa, simply reads: “RESTING”.

He was only 19 years old when he died.

Arthur was entitled to the British War Medal and the Allied Victory Medal.