Earnest Havard, coalminer, eldest son of John and Sarah Havard of Gwrhay-fawr Cottage, Argoed, enlisted in November 1914 in the 2nd Battalion Monmouth Regiment and arrived in France with the battalion in February 1915.

In late November 1917 in the Battle of Cambrai, a major British offensive, the battalion were pioneers in the 29th Division. At the start of December the battalion was in a salient southwest of Rumilly near Masnières north of the St. Quentin Canal facing a German onslaught which was pushing the division back.

Lance Corporal E Havard (265827) was killed in action 2 December 1917, aged 23. He is commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial, Louverval, the memorial to those with no known grave who fell in the Battle of Cambrai.

He is commemorated also on the Battalion Memorial in St Cadoc's Church, Trevethin. His older brother Thomas had fallen in Flanders in May 1915.