Name
Walter James Ellis
1887
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
01/06/1918
30
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
20084
The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TANNAY BRITISH CEMETERY, THIENNES
Plot 4. Row A. Grave 9.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Baldock Town Memorial, St Mary the Virgin Church Memorial, Baldock
Pre War
Walter James Ellis was born in Baldock in 1887, the son of Alfred and Jane Ellis (nee Stoughton), and one of eleven children. He was baptised on 6 November 1887 in Baldock.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at Pembroke Road, Baldock, where his father was working as a brewery labourer. They had moved to Park Street, Baldock by 1901 and remained there in 1911, at which time Walter was working as a farm labourer.
He was working as a polisher at the time of enlistment in 1916.
Wartime Service
He initially enlisted in Hitchin on 8 September 1914 and joined the Bedfordshire Regiment, under Reg. no. 160084 and joined the 8th Battalion, but was discharged on 30 November 1914 because of flat feet. On 29 January 1916 he tried again to enlist and was successful, joining the 8th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment and later transferring to the Royal West Kent Regiment.
He served in France from 16 October 1917 but suffered gun shot wounds to his feet and arm later the same month. After treatment and recovery he re-joined the Battalion in the field at the end of March 1918. Walter was accidentally killed in the field on 1 June 1918 and his Officer wrote to his parents:
"Your son was killed in an accident behind the line, and we were all very distressed at losing an old comrade in such a way. He can have suffered no pain, as his death was practically instantaneous. He had been with the Battalion for a long period, and had proved himself a good soldier. I hope the knowledge of the high impression we had of him out here will be some comfort to you in your bereavement."
In fact, he was shot in the head by 21096 Private Isaac Dorfman during a Lewis Gun training exercise at a location known as Arcade Camp. A Court of Enquiry blamed Walter Ellis for standing in front of the gun when he had been ordered not to. It appears that a live round was included with some dummy rounds during a practice for stoppages.
He is buried in Tannay Cemetery, Thiennes, France.
Additional Information
His father received a war gratuity of £3 10s and pay owing of £11 3s 10d. Pension cards exist with his mother as dependant but give no details as to the pension received.
Four of Walter's brothers also served, but survived the war. At the time of Walter's death his brother Arthur was in a convalescence home in Felixstowe, Edward was in hospital in Glasgow, and Herbert and William were in France.
Acknowledgments
Derry Warners, Brenda Palmer
Adrian Pitts, Paul Johnson
