Military History

Walter is listed as being killed in action on the 5th July 1916, the section of the 7th Battalion Precis of Fighting 3rd - 9th July 1916 report covering the 5th & 6th is transcribed below and it is likely that he was killed by the constant shellfire that took place all day and night on the 5th/6th.

La Boiselle - 5th July 1916: On the 5^th inst the 1^st Sherwood Foresters arrived in La Boisselle. I relieved the 10^th Royal Warwickshire who were in support, and put the Sherwood Foresters in their place. This was done quickly and without hitch, as the trench was properly policed and traffic controlled.

The Sherwood Foresters were ordered to take over certain parts of the line and attack at 2pm, in conjunction with the 56^th Brigade. They failed to advance beyond the line held by us the previous day and suffered a good many casualties.

There was a considerable amount of shelling all day and night and a lot of casualties. On the morning of the 6^th the 7^th South Lancs and 1^st N & D R [Sherwood Foresters] were relieved by the 9^th L.N. Lancashire Regt and 13^th Cheshire Regt. Relief was completed without hitch by 6am and the Battalion marched in a single file up the Baupaume Albert Road to the Usna W Tara line without sustaining any casualties.