Name
Walter Arthur Coldman
1894
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
29/08/1918
24
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
493215
London Regiment *1
1st/13th (County of London) Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
VIS-EN-ARTOIS MEMORIAL
Panel 10.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour, Langleybury Village Memorial, Hunton Bridge, St Paul's Church Memorial, Langleybury
Pre War
Walter Arthur Coldman was born in 1894 in Mile End, London, the son of Frederick and Ruth Coldman (nee Weaver). He was one of two children and had an older sister Florence.
His parents had married on 21 May 1887 at St Mary’s, Islington, London and on the 1901 Census, the family were living at 6 The Parade, Sandhurst Road, Lewisham, London, where his father was working on his own account as a dairyman/shop keeper. By the 1911 Census they had moved to New Malden, Surrey, at which time 17 year old Walter was working as a dairyman. He was said to be living in Watford, Herts at the time of enlistment.
On pension records his parents' address was given as Hamilton Road, Hunton Bridge, later changed to Claremont, Kents Hill Road, South Benfleet, Essex. His mother died in 1948 in Rochford, Essex, aged 80 and his father in 1953 in Thurrock, Essex, aged 92.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Bedford and initially joined the Middlesex Regiment as Private 6135, later transferring to the 13th Battalion, London Regiment.
Walter was killed in action on 29 August 1918. He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial, France.
Additional Information
His father received a war gratuity of £11 and pay owing of £13 17s 11d. Pension records exist with his mother as dependant but no amount is recorded.
*1 Believed more correctly, (County of London) Bn. London Regiment (Kensington).
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
