| Other Info | As a child, Walter lived at Bumble Cottage, Netherton. On leaving school at 13 he worked as a tree turner (a wood turner) at Swindell & Co where he made handles for tools such as spades and forks. Enlisted in 1915 and joined 1/7th Company the Worcester Regiment. When his regiment was posted to France they were based at Hebuterne, Somme, about 16km from Albert. They were based there for seven months. Duties alternated between working parties and spending several days at a time fighting in the trenches along the lines. In early March, 1917, Walter sent a set of postcards home to his mother. The whole set of cards featured battle scenes. With the high numbers of troops killed or wounded it is not clear how much receiving such cards was good news for the family!
Walter wrote: -
"Dear Mother,
Just a few lines hoping that you are all well at home. I am fairly well for as you know the weather has been fairly rough but still we have got to hold them.
You say that you are glad that I got your parcels alright but sorry to tell you that I lost one last week. It was from the Soldiers and Sailors Funds in Netherton but it was lost in the mountainous mud in the trench. They are now going to keep our parcels till we get out of the trenches so that should be better.
You will see the cards have a few more views for you to look at. You will see that some of the places in the photos have been blown up and everywhere is a mass of rubble.
I hope to get leave home but at this rate it may not be till next year! Well dear mother remember me to dad and all at home. I will write again soon.
From your ever-loving son Walter" - He was to be home sooner than he thought. In March 1917 the German armies on the Somme carried out a strategic withdrawal known as Operation Alberich. The 48th Division was involved in the pursuit of the retreating German army. During this pursuit of the German army, Walter was seriously wounded. Although the letter to his mother said he had been shot he was in fact hit by shrapnel that entered the left hand side of his body just below the heart. He was taken to 1 General Hospital, Etretat, France for his operation. Walter was transferred to the Edinburgh War Hospital. He was to spend many months in this and other hospitals.
In May 1918, he was medically discharged. His papers indicated that his eyes were still suffering from the blast that had injured him and that he still became breathless very quickly from any form of exercise. The report went on to indicate that ‘no further treatment was required’. He was awarded the War Badge and discharged as no longer fit for service.
Silver War Badge number 365467.
He died in 1`972 of a heart attack. |
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