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Updated:22/04/22

 

 

 

 

 

ID:259 Walter Reginald Gatward 1889-1916See the source image
Gaz’s 2nd Great Uncle

Birth   

14 April 1889

Carters Corner, Therfield, Hertfordshire

Death

19 April 1916

Ypres, Belgium

  

  

 

 

Mother

Julia Ann Hagger (b.1851)/ID:290

Father

Thomas Gatward (b.1848) /ID:255

Siblings 

Thomas Charles Hagger (b.1871) /ID:305

 

Frederick Gatward (b.1877) /ID:242

 

Emily Gatward (b.1879) /ID:240

 

(Rose) Elizabeth Jane Gatward (b.1881)/ID:252

 

Winifred Gatward (b.1884) /ID:263

 

Henry George Gatward (b.1886) /ID:245

 

Walter Reginald Gatward (b.1889) /ID:259

 

Charlie Gatward (b.1892) /ID:237

Spouse  

Daisy Florence Byatt (b.1891)

Children

Annie Gatward (b.1910)/ID:2861

 

Elizabeth Jane Gatward (b.1913)/ID:2862

 

Florence May Gatward (b.1914)/ID:2863

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1889

4 April 1889 - Birth of Walter Reginald Gatward in Therfield, Hertfordshire

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1889

4 August 1889 – Baptism of Walter Reginald Gatward at Therfield, Hertfordshire.

 

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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
22 July 1895-National School Admission Registers & Log-Books 1870-1914 – Therfield Board School.

 

 

 

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.

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1911
25 February 1911 -Birth of daughter, Annie Emily Gatward at Reed, Hertfordshire.

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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.

 

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1913
1913 -Death of daughter, Elizabeth Jane Gatward at Reed, Hertfordshire.

 

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1914
23 June 1914 -Birth of daughter, Florence May Gatward at Biggleswade, Bedfordshire.

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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

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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.

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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’.

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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

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See the source image