Name
Walter Charles Wilson
1897
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
25/04/1918
21
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
265387
Hertfordshire Regiment
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Territorial Force War, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TYNE COT MEMORIAL
Panel 153.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, Holy Saviour Church War Memorial, Radcliffe Rd., Hitchin, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin, Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
Walter was born in 1897 in Shefford, Beds., his parents were Charles and Emma Wilson (née Twydell) who married in 1893.
In 1901 the family were living at Orton Head Cottage, Hitchin. Present were both parents: Charles (35) and Emma (42), with Charles working as a stockman of cattle on a farm. Their children were: Lizzie (7) and Walter (3). Also present were boarders William Tweedell (17) and Joseph Tweedell (48).
By 1911 the family were living at 2 Taylors Cottages, Old Park Road, Hitchin. Present were both parents and both children, Charles now working as a farm labourer. Joseph was still boarding with them. The census recorded they had been married for 18 years with 3 children, of whom 1 had died.
Walter enlisted into the Hertfordshire Territorials on 6 January 1914 and medically examined on 14 January 1914. At that time he was 17 years and 6 month old, working as an agricultural labourer and living at 2 Taylors Cottages, Hitchin, Herts. He was described as 5’ 4” tall, with a 32 ½” chest when fully expanded. He was found to be fit.
Before joining up he was employed by Russell's Tanyard in Hitchin.
Officially recorded as born Shillington, Beds. and living and enlisting in Hitchin.
Wartime Service
Walter was originally allocated the service number 2314 and was in No. 4 Company of the Hertfordshires. He would have been renumbered to 265387 in 1917.
He was mobilised on 5 August 1914 at the outbreak of war and posted to the 3/1st Battalion and was then on ‘Home’ service until 20 August 1916 when he left for France. He landed the following day and was posted to the 1/1st Btn.
He was wounded on 5 October 1916 and returned to the UK on the 12th, remaining there until 20 March 1917, when he returned to France. The length of time he was in the UK suggests that he was seriously wounded, but there are no specific details in the Battalion War Diary it merely confirms that the were in trenches near Hamel from 3 October have taken over the trenches from the Bn marched from Y RAVINE section and took over the HAMEL right sub section from the 1/1st Cambs Regiment.
Walter has an entry in the National Roll of the Great War – these were normally placed by family members using what they knew and are not always 100% correct and in Walter’s case there are errors. It suggest that he went to France in 1914, but this is at odds with his service record. It also suggests that he fought at Loos, Arras, Lens and Cambrai. The war diary would need to be checked to see if the Battalion were in those areas while he was with them, but certainly his service is at odds with some of the dates of the Battles named after these locations. It also claims he was killed on the Somme when in fact he died in Belgium. However, it confirms that he was seriously wounded in 1916.
He was killed in action on 25 April 1918 and the war diary for that date reads:
25-4-18 [The Battle of the Lys - the Second Battle of Kemmel]. At 2.30am enemy opened up very heavy bombardment with H.E. & Gas shells on battalion front & heavily attacked our line about 6.0am. Our line was driven in and forced back on to the GHQ line, the enemy coming in very large numbers. One platoon of the left front Coy got back to the GHQ line but the other three platoons were forced back onto the Bn on our left holding the VOORMEZEELE (sic) defences and were therefore lost to the Bn. The right Coy extricated themselves after being nearly surrounded & withdrew fighting to the GHQ line. The enemy quickly came onto the GHQ line but were well held there & after suffering many casualties withdrew to cover some 500 yards away. The platoon in the BRASSERIE post was closely pressed by the enemy & withdrew to the GHQ line but an immediate counter attack was launched by B Coy & the post was successfully recaptured together with two prisoners & a machine gun. Several enemy were killed in the post & our casualties were very slight. The latter part of the day passed quietly except for successful sniping of the enemy & the Coys were able to be reorganised in the GHQ line. Major M. CLAYTON, D.S.O., 1st Cambs Regt, assumed command of the Bn at 10.0am.
This was towards the end of the German offensive which had started on the 21st March 1918 and, in the retreat which followed, the Hertfordshires had been reduced to a small cadre.
He has no known grave and is remembered on Panel 153 of the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing in Belgium.
Additional Information
After his death £10 16s 9d pay owing was authorised to go to his mother, Emma, on 4 September 1918. Later, a war gratuity of £17 10s 0d was authorised to be paid to her on 4 December 1919.
His pension cards record Emma Wilson as his mother and as his dependant, living at 2 Taylors Cottages, Old Park Road, Hitchin. She was awarded a pension of 4s 6d a week from 19 November 1918.
He medals were received by his mother on 15 April 1921.
His family at the time believed that he was in the Somme Sector in the vicinity of Amiens at the time of his death, but as explained above this is incorrect.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
