Name
Walter Alfred Carpenter
14/09/1880
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
23/04/1917
36
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
13926
Bedfordshire Regiment
1st Bn. (formerly 8th Bn.)
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ARRAS MEMORIAL
Bay 5.
France
Headstone Inscription
He has no Headstone. He is commemorated on the Arras Memorial to the Missing
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour, Not on the Oxhey memorials, Not on the Bushey memorials(*1)
Pre War
Walter Carpenter, born in Bushey on 14th September 1880 and baptised 7 November 1880 at St Matthew’s, Oxhey. He was the fourth of five children born to Walter Alfred Carpenter and Emily Carpenter (nee Stevens). His father, also born in Bushey, was a coachman.
His parents married 20 February 1871 at St James’, Bushey, Herts. Walter died 1906 in Watford aged 56, and was buried 3 June in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford; Emily died 1913 in Watford aged 65, and was buried 25 March also in Vicarage Road Cemetery.
On the 1881 Census, aged 6 months he lived in Bushey, with his parents and three siblings. On the 1891 Census, aged 10 he lived in Chiswell Green, Herts, with his parents and two siblings.
The family lived on Chalk Hill for some years, before moving to Fernley Stables, Chiswell Green, near St Albans and, by 1901, to 263 Watford High Street. Walter by that time was 20 and working as a domestic gardener.
His father died in 1906 and the following year Walter married Mary Elizabeth Hood, also born in Bushey, the daughter of the publican of The Anchor in Watford High Street.
The 1911 census records Walter and Mary living in Roma Blakehall Road, Carshalton, Surrey, with their son, Laurence, (born in June 1909), Walters occupation is given as a Domestic Gardener. A second son Ernest was born in Oxhey/Watford, in December 1916.
They later resided in Oxhey.
May never remarried and died 1968 in the Barnet, Herts, district aged 81.
Wartime Service
Walter Travelled to the County Town of Hertford and enlisted as a volunteer in the Bedfordshire Regiment in September 1914 and served as Private 13926. He proceeded to France, arriving 30 August 1915. In 1916 Walter and May moved to 6 Chalk Hill, Oxhey.
Walter was killed in action on 23 April 1917, at The Battle of Arras, during the Battalion’s assault on La Coulotte. Aged 36, He is remembered with honour at the Arras Memorial.
After the war Mary and the children moved from 6, Chalk Hill, Oxhey, to 16, Moss Road, Watford.
Walter was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914-15 Star medals.
Additional Information
*1 Records found have recorded his birthplace as Bushey. This may be the case, however Bushey was the main postal location given for nearby villages and hamlets, so it may be that this information is misleading. If more accurate information found this will be updated. There is a brief article about and a Death announcement for Walter in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 16 February 1918; plus an In Memoriam in the issue dated 19 April 1919. The value of his effects were £3-18s-4d, Pay Owing and £12, War Gratuity which went to his Widow Mary. Mary was awarded a pension of 22/11, a week for her and the children. Son of Walter and Emily Carpenter, late of High St., Watford; husband of May Elizabeth Carpenter, of 6, Chalk Hill, Oxhey, Watford. Has a entry in the National Roll of the Great War. Unfortunately, Walter’s Service Record appears to be one that did not survive the World War Two bombing.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild, Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
