Private 51231 Arthur Charles Hayward of the 4th Company, the 16th Battalion, Canadian Scottish Regiment, was born the 29th October 1882 at Hooe, the youngest son of Richard William and Marianne Hayward.

The 1901 census records the family living at The Mount, Hooe. Richard aged 59 was born in London and had the job of being a collector of rates and taxes. Marianne, also aged 59 was born at Northallerton, Yorkshire. Children recorded are Margaret, aged 20, born at Hooe, as was Arthur, aged 18 and working as a wood carver. [In the 1891 census, there was another daughter, Emmeline, and servant Emily Jenner mentioned in addition to the aforementioned.]

In 1904, Arthur had previous two years military service with the 2nd Sussex Volunteer Artillery, emigrated to Canada where he joined the 12th Manitoba Dragoons (a militia unit). Two years later he left to join the Royal Canadian Mounted Rifles with which he served only briefly before taking a job as a ranch manager in California.

At the outbreak of war, he moved back to Canada to join the 88th Regiment of the Victoria Fusiliers, enlisting at Victoria, British Columbia, on the 6th of November 1914. He was single, unemployed and was 5ft 11.5" tall.

The Fusiliers embarked aboard the Andania at Quebec on 30th of September, 1914, as part of the 1st Division, Canadian Expeditionary Force. Upon disembarking in the UK, they were encamped on Salisbury Plain, where it became attached to the 16th Battalion (Canadian Scottish) and sailed for France on the 7th of February 1915.

Following further training, the Division moved to a position north of Ypres in April. On the 22nd, the Germans launched a heavy attack on the allied front line, preceded by a heavy artillery bombardment and the release of 5,700 cylinders of chlorine gas. Arthur was taken to a casualty clearing station where he died the following day, as a result of gas poisoning.

He is buried at Poperinghe Old Military Cemetery and remembered on a plaque and on the war memorial inside the Hooe church, East Sussex. His death was reported in the Ottawa Free Press.

The Bexhill on Sea Observer for the 11th of August 1923 reports on the unveiling of the War Memorial in Hooe Church, upon which Arthur is amongst those remembered.