Pte 16698 Walter Anderson

The 1901 Census shows the family are living at 51 Woodville Terrace, Everton, Walter aged 4 shown with parents and siblings

 

The 1911 Census find the family still living at 51 Woodville Terrace,  Everton. Walter is now aged 14 is still at school and living with his parents and 6 of his 10 siblings;

Henry aged 30 is a sculptor, Percy aged 26 is an iron moulder, Francis aged 23 is a joiner, Herbert aged 20 is a university student and George aged 18 is a stockbrokers clerk.

 

On 02nd September 1914 Walter now a clerk aged 19 years and 75 days enlists at St George's Hall, Liverpool as Pte 16698 joining the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment. He is described as being 5 foot 4 inches in height, weighed 116 lbs with a 34 and a half inch chest. He has grey eyes and brown hair.

From the 23^rd September 1914 he was billeted at Hooton Park Race Course and remained there until 03^rd December 1914 when they moved into the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 18th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. He arrived in France on 7^th November 1915.

Walter was subsequently transferred to the 17th Battalion. On 28 November 1916 he received a Good Conduct Award for 2 year's Service. 

The History of the King's Liverpool Regiment records that

"The 17th Btn received orders on 3rd May 1918 to relieve the South African Brigade holding the Vierstraat Sector on the night of 5/6th May. On the 6th/ 7th of May the Artillery fire of the opposing guns was heavy , the enemy using a large proportion of gas shells."

 

Walter, aged 21, became one of the casualties of that bombardment on 07th May 1918.

He now rests at La Clytte Military Cemetery  V B 7.

The first burial in the cemetery took place on the 01st November 1914, and between that date and April 1918, Plots I, II and III and part of Plot IV were filled. The hamlet of La Clytte was used as Brigade Headquarters, and the burials were carried out by Infantry, Artillery and Engineer units (out of 600, 250 are those of Artillery personnel and 66 are those of Engineers).

After the Armistice Plot IV was completed, and Plots V and VI formed by the concentration of isolated graves and small graveyards from the area round Reninghelst, Dickebusch, Locre and Kemmel.

There are now 1,082 casualties of the First World War buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 238 of the burials are unidentified and one of the graves, brought in from LEICESTER CAMP CEMETERY (a group of 17 graves on the road to Reninghelst), is marked with the names of two men between whom the identification rests. Other special memorials commemorate casualties known to have been buried in the cemetery, but whose graves could not be located.

The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens. 

His Army pay of £16 :11s:7d was sent to his father Charles on 02nd October 1918. A War Gratuity of £17:10s was also sent to his father at The Cottage, Leighton Road, Tranmere,  Birkenhead on 03rd December 1919.