This man is a candidate for addition to Keighley's Supplementary Volume under the proposal to add further names in 2024, the centenary of the original roll of honour.
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Supported by the National Lottery's Heritage Fund, our project intends to submit about 120 names for peer review to add them to the book which is kept at Keighley Library. The unveiling of the book with it's new names is planned for November 2024, 100 years after the unveiling of the original war memorial.
Corporal. 2nd Battalion, Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment, service number 11995.
Early life.
Walter was born at Barrow in Lancashire in 1882. He was the son of John Walsh and Mary Walsh née Liddimore who were married in 1880 at Skipton.
In the 1891 census Walter was six. They were living at 25, Woodhouse Road in Keighley and father John was a 41 year old engine fitter. Mary was 40 and caring for the family home. Also living here were Walter's half-brother William Liddimore aged 16, older sister Emma aged ten and younger sisters Eliza A. aged four and Patience aged three.
In the 1901 census, Walter was 18 years old and living at Woodhouse Road, Keighley with his parents John and Mary Walsh, 3 sisters and two younger brothers John and George. Their father John was now 51 and was a 'jobbing' iron fitter. Walter was employed as a Worsted Bobbin Setter.
In 1907, Walter got married to Annie Victoria Liddemore at St John's Church, Ingrow, on 24th December. Their marriage was registered at Keighley. Walter was a 25 year old bachelor and labourer; Annie was a 19 year old spinster and they were both living at 19, Woodhouse Road in Keighley.
Their son Willie was born on 21st February 1908 followed two years later by Raymond, who was born on 2nd January 1910.
Both young boys were baptised on 9th March 1910 at St. Peter's Church on South Street. Walter and Annie were living at 199 South Street at the time.
By the time of the 1911 census, Walter was 28 and living at 163, South Street, Keighley with his wife Annie Victoria and sons Willie and Raymond. He was employed as a labourer in an iron foundry of which there were many in the town around that time.
Their third son John Walter was born on 4th October 1911.
The electoral rolls show that they moved around quite a bit, they were living at 19, Woodhouse Road in 1910 then to 199, South Street followed by 163 South Street in 1911 (where they were for the census) In 1915 they moved to 82, Beck Street (and possibly at 2, Ivy Place)
War service:
There is a record in 'Keighley's Gallant Sons' of a Walter Walsh who was married and living at 2, Ivy Place in Keighley. This may be him and we are sure he enlisted at Keighley very early in the war.
According to his medal records, Walter arrived in France on the 30th November 1914 to serve with the 2nd Battalion West Riding Regiment. Walter and Annie's son Lancelot was born in Keighley on 20th April 1915.
Walter was killed in action less than a month later, on the 5th May, during the fighting for Hill 60 where the Germans used gas.
War Diary for 2nd Battalion West Riding Regiment:
May 4 1915: In Divisional Reserve in woods near KRUISSTRAAT at 10 pm Bn received orders to relieve Devon Regiment in trenches 38, 39, 40, 42, 43, 45 and Hill 60.
Relief completed by 3.30 am May 5, 15.
May 5 1915:
At 8.0 am the enemy sent over asphyxiating gas with disastrous effects. The men had to vacate Hill 60 and trenches 40, 43, 45, on account of there being practically no men left to hold them. Trenches 38 and 39 were held and eventually strongly reinforced by the Dorset Regt who eventually reoccupied 40 trench. Nearly all the men were badly asphyxiated and large numbers died from the effect. During the day the enemy kept up heavy artillery fire.
No more gas fumes were used. In the evening the Royal West Kent Regiment attacked without success. At about 2.30 am, the Battalion consisting of three officers (Capt Barton Conidy(?), Lt Duce(?) and Lt Titian(?)) with about 150 other ranks were ordered to withdraw to OUDERDOM, being relieved by the Cheshire Regt. Casualties Officers.
May 6 1915: OUDERDOM
Battalion arrived in huts at 5.30 am. Total strength.
Walter was one of 23 men killed in the gas attack. He is buried at grave 18 of row C at Divisional Cemetery, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.
Post war:
Walter was awarded the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal for his war service and these would have been sent to Annie along with his personal effects. She would also have received a bronze war memorial plaque and King's certificate inscribed with Walter's name.
She received Walter's remaining Army pay of £1 11s 12d on 17th November 1915 and a war gratuity of £4 on 3rd July 1919.
He is remembered on the Cross Roads war memorial, probably because Annie lived there after the war.
Annie and the four boys were living at 37, Bingley Road, Cross Roads. Annie was 31 and Willie was earning a living as a doffer in a worsted spinning works. Life would have been a struggle for her, but she would have been helped by the dependant's pension from the Army for herself and their four sons. This amounted to 22 shillings and 6 pence per week from 29th November 1915, to 23 shillings per week from 3rd November 1916 and a final increase of 30 shillings per week on 4th April 1917. The element for each child would have expired on their 16th birthdays respectively.
Annie remarried, to a William Durkin at Keighley, in the second quarter of the year 1925. They were living together after marriage at 37, Barcroft (Bingley Road) and there are multiple electoral records for them living there and later at 10, Barcroft, Cross Roads near Haworth.
They were living at no. 10 in the 1939 register. William was an iron dresser and Annie was a baker's assistant. No death records have been found for either of them.
Information sources:
England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915
1891 England Census
1901 England Census
West Yorkshire, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1910
1911 England Census
England & Wales, FreeBMD Marriage Index, 1837-1915
West Yorkshire, England, Marriages and Banns, 1813-1935
British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920
UK, WWI Service Medal and Award Rolls, 1914-1920
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919
Army Registers of Soldiers' Effects, 1901-1929
World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923
1921 Census Of England & Wales
National Archives war diaries
Keighley's Gallant Sons at Keighley Library
England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005
1939 Register.
Men who died in the gas attack on 5th May 1915:
001 AHERNE J 12168 2nd Bn 05/05/1915 Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment.
002 BEVERLEY A 14024 2nd Bn 05/05/1915 Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment.
003 CHAPMAN HA 11193 2nd Bn 05/05/1915 Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment.
004 CLAPP AE 7997 2nd Bn 05/05/1915 Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment.
005 COLLINSON A 10735 2nd Bn 05/05/1915 Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment.
006 DONLEY T 10624 2nd Bn 05/05/1915 Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment.
007 HEATON F 12182 2nd Bn 05/05/1915 - 06/05/1915 Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment.
008 HODGSON T 11999 2nd Bn 05/05/1915 Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment.
009 IRVING T 10547 2nd Bn 05/05/1915 Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment.
010 JENKINS WJ 10276 2nd Bn 05/05/1915 Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment.
011 JOHNSON J 11203 2nd Bn 05/05/1915 - 06/05/1915 Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment.
012 KEENE OR 15866 2nd Bn 05/05/1915 Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment.
013 KITSON D 10600 2nd Bn 05/05/1915 Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment.
014 LUCAS E 8914 2nd Bn 05/05/1915 Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment.
015 MANSELL J 10699 2nd Bn 05/05/1915 Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment.
016 MEDLEY B 16438 2nd Bn 05/05/1915 Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment.
017 MULLEN J 10672 2nd Bn 05/05/1915 Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment.
018 NORTH T 10680 2nd Bn 05/05/1915 Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment.
019 OGDEN H 16437 2nd Bn 05/05/1915 Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment.
020 PECKOVER H 12368 2nd Bn 05/05/1915 Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment.
021 PLEWS BR 10804 2nd Bn 05/05/1915 Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment.
022 ROBERTS A 7568 2nd Bn 05/05/1915 Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment.
023 ROTHERY JE 10230 2nd Bn 05/05/1915 Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment.
024 STEVENS WN 14620 2nd Bn 05/05/1915 Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment.
025 THOMAS WA 14005 2nd Bn 05/05/1915 Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment.
026 WALSH W 11995 2nd Bn 05/05/1915 Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment.
027 WHARTON EW 12192 2nd Bn 05/05/1915 Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment.
028 WILSON F 10516 2nd Bn 05/05/1915 - 06/05/1915 Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment.
029 WOOLBAR T 8288 2nd Bn 05/05/1915 Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment.
