William Walters RWF

[ap1]

Guys,

Trying to identify the battalion and any other information of the following soldier:

William Walters
Born 31 Oct 1886 - Shinrigg House, Nelson, South Wales
Died 1955 in Cardiff
He got married in Jan 1919 to Olive Maude.

He was wounded in the Great War, losing a leg, the story is an american surgeon removed it. The RWF connection is whilst he was convalescing, he embroidered the RWF cap badge(I've seen a picture).

I've looked through the service/pension records, nothing jumps out.

Looking at the SWB list. One possible is 54855 LCpl Walters who enlisted 11 Feb 1915. According to the SWB list he was aged 33* on his discharge date of 29 Mar 1919(our William Walters should have been 32*).

Remarkably his three children are still alive, so any help gratefully received.

Al

[Hywyn]

This particular William Walters is shown as from Nelson on a rather large (250+ men) W O Wounded Caslist dated 27/9/198. The list usually appeared some 4- 6 weeks after the event and may suggest Battle of Albert 21-23 Aug.

I'll see if I can identify papers for some of the others on the list but it'll take a few days due to commitments.


Hywyn

[ap1]

Thanks Hywyn excellent. Are you saying that 54855 Walters on the SWB list, appears on your casualty list(annotated Nelson). If so thats our man. I have identified him on the 1901 census with his family, living in Shingrigg, Nelson, aged 15. I suppose the date of injury late into the war may also account for the american surgeon.

Thanks again.

[Hywyn]

Yes, it is 54855 Walters W (Nelson) on the list. From late 1916 onwards the lists showed a placename for the majority of men. This placename would the one showing residence/NoK on SDGW for those that died.

I have now looked at the medal cards for William Walters and see there is only the one in RWF. I dont suppose the family have the medals?

Note that he was Welsh Regiment 2653 first. My interpretation of this is that many 2nd Line TF men were sent over after the Somme losses. They went over as a TF man (hence the number on the MIC) but were then allocated from the Infantry Battalion Depots to those Battalions that needed them and since that meant a move to the 'Regulars' a new number was issued (this allocation of a new number stopped later on in the war where you could then have TF numbered men serving in any Battalion and vice versa)
RWF 5xxxx series is littered with such men from RWF, Welsh, Monmouthshires TF etc.


Hywyn

[Hywyn]

It is with great embarrasment that I notice that I misread the List date on my main File and didn't actually check for his name on the list itself when looking at its size. It's 7/9/1918 not 27/9/1918. The list he is on is of about 10 men. I hope this doesn't cause you inconvenience. I'll still look at the others in his list over the next couple of days.

Hywyn
(Can't see the embarrased smiley)

[Baconwallah]

I can add that he wasn't 1st Bn, but that is the full extent of my knowledge.

The next transfer, Henry Jancey 54856, originally belonged to the Monmouths TF. Must have been a mixed bag. Later on, the men were transferred in groups (70xxx series) as far as I can make out.

John

[Hywyn]

I have had a look at medals/service/pension for the 9 on his list. Unfortunately only one seems with papers and they show that he suffered GSW left leg 8/8/18 with 16th Bn. Until such time as some of the others can be shown to be in that Battalion it's a bit slim.

Their Diary shows:
6th. Relieved 12th Manchsters in Support AVELUY LEFT Sector
7th to 12th. Holding line as above. Casualties. 9 OR on the 8th, 2 OR on the 10th

[ap1]

Many Thanks Hywyn/John,

They don't have the medals, but the "Nelson" link is the clincher. It has to be a high percentage of probability its him.

To sum up then:

54855 Walters, formerly of the Welsh Regiment.
Injured - 7 Sept 1918
Bn - Not confirmed, but possibly the 16th(Left sector of Aveluy). He was listed as one of 10 casualties that day.

His family seem to think he may have fought at the Somme, which is possible, bearing in mind he enlisted in 1915.

Much appreciated guys.

[Hywyn]

7/9/1918 the list publication date. They are generally 4-6 weeks after the event. The suggested wounded date is 8/8/1918

Hywyn

[ap1]

A word back from the family concerned:

"Amazing!! Thanks so much for producing such a detailed history of WIlliam; I know you will have fired up three octagenarians and given them precious knowledge about something they have spent a lifetime not knowing about, that's just so marvellous, as well as informing all of our generation too.

Please pass on our family thanks to the folk who have done this for us, we are really so grateful and in your debt.

Cheers
Pete "