Updated:22/04/22 |
|
|
|
|
ID:259 Walter Reginald Gatward 1889-1916
|
|
1889
4 April 1889 - Birth of Walter Reginald Gatward in
Therfield, Hertfordshire
1889
4 August 1889 – Baptism of Walter Reginald Gatward at
Therfield, Hertfordshire.
1891
1891 Census for 'Boatman’s Cottages,
Therfield'
Name
|
Relationship
|
Condition |
Age |
Est YOB |
Gender |
Birth County
|
Occupation
|
Thomas Gatward |
Head
|
Married |
43 |
1848 |
Male |
Therfield, Herts
|
Agr. Labourer
|
Julia Ann Gatward |
Wife |
Married |
40 |
1851 |
Female |
Therfield, Herts
|
|
Emily Gatward |
Daughter |
|
11 |
1880 |
Female |
Therfield, Herts
|
|
Elizabeth Gatward |
Daughter |
|
9 |
1882 |
Female |
Therfield, Herts
|
|
Winfred Gatward |
Daughter |
|
6 |
1885 |
Female |
Therfield, Herts
|
|
Henry G Gatward |
Son |
|
5 |
1886 |
Male |
Therfield, Herts
|
|
Walter R Gatward |
Son |
|
2 |
1889 |
Male |
Therfield, Herts
|
|
1895 |
1901
1901 Census for 'Dane End,
Therfield'
Name
|
Relationship
|
Condition |
Age |
Est YOB |
Gender |
Birth County
|
Occupation
|
Thomas Gatward |
Head
|
Married |
55 |
1846 |
Male |
Therfield
|
Agr. Labourer
|
Julia Ann Gatward |
Wife |
Married |
49 |
1852 |
Female |
Therfield |
|
Henry Gatward |
Son |
|
15 |
1886 |
Male |
Therfield |
|
Walter Gatward |
Son |
|
11 |
1890 |
Male |
Therfield |
|
Charles Gatward |
Son |
|
9 |
1892 |
Male |
Therfield |
|
Winifred Gatward |
Daughter |
|
16 |
1885 |
Female |
Therfield |
Gen Dom Servant |
1910
30
July 1910 – Marriage of Walter Gatward & Daisy Florence Byatt at Buckland,
Hertfordshire.
1911
25 February 1911 -Birth of daughter, Annie Emily Gatward at Reed,
Hertfordshire.
1911
1911 Census for ‘Crow Cottages,
Reed, Nr Royston, Herts’
Name
|
Relationship
|
Condition |
Age |
Est YOB |
Gender |
Birth County
|
Occupation
|
Walter Gatward |
Head
|
Married |
21 |
1890 |
Male |
Therfield, Herts
|
Farm Labourer |
Daisy Gatward |
Wife |
Married |
20 |
1891 |
Female |
Chipping, Herts |
House keeper |
Annie Gatward |
Daughter |
|
1 mth |
1911 |
Female |
Reed, Herts |
|
1913
March 1913 -Birth of daughter, Elizabeth Jane Gatward at Reed, Hertfordshire.
1913
1913 -Death of daughter, Elizabeth Jane Gatward at Reed, Hertfordshire.
1914
23 June 1914 -Birth of daughter, Florence May Gatward at Biggleswade, Bedfordshire.
1915 Walter
enlisted into the army at Ampthill, Bedfordshire. According to
his Medals Rolls Index card he didn’t go across to France until the beginning
of 1916. His 8th. Service Battalion was now part of the 6th Division. Army No:22463 In 1916 they
lost heavily during a massed bombardment and raid on their lines in April and
were engaged in The Battles of the Somme 1916, specifically at the Battle of Flers-Courcelette and the Battle of Morval
in September, as well as the Battle of Le Transloy
in October. Walter was killed on April 19th. The War Diary entry for the 19th and 20th
follows: 19 Apr 1916 In trenches at Ijser Canal Bank, - Wounded 2 O.R. 20 Apr 1916 - Ijser
Canal Bank, near Ypres, Belgium in trenches - Battalion moved back in support
in dugouts on YSER CANAL - *On night 19/20 Apl.
after 2 hours heavy bombardment Germans attacked and gained a footing in
trenches D20, WILLOW WALK and S18a - D21, B17a and B16 still held by
battalion and line VICARS LANE - CLIFFORD TOWER - GANTHORPE ROAD strengthened
and reinforced. Killed - Capt Quilter, 2Lt
Cartwright, 2Lt.McMichael. Wounded 2Lt Vipond, 2Lt Player [Harold PLAYER],
2Lt Charles [William Eugene CHARLES]. Missing 2Lt Squier.
O.Ranks - Killed 32,
Missing believed Killed 97, Wounded 65. Relieved by 2/York and Lancaster
Regt He could only have been in Belgium for a
short time before losing his life, leaving his widow Daisy to rear little
Annie and Elizabeth Jane who was born in 1913. She was given only £4- 15
shillings according to the ‘Soldier’s Effects document and a small pension for her and her 2 children. 1916 – Register
of Soldiers Effects. He is buried very close to where he fell, in
the Essex Farm Cemetery 11.Q.16 alongside the dressing station where Lt.
Col. John McCrae wrote the famous poem ‘In Flanders Fields’. Acknowledgments: Malcolm Lennox, Jean
Handley- Herts at War http://www.hertsatwar.co.uk/biographies/217509/walter-reginald-gatward |
UK, British Army World War I Medal Rolls Index Cards,
1914-1920