| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
Walter Roberts was born in Beverley the 26 Jan 1896, the son of Clara Roberts of Cherry Tree Lane (daughter of David and Elizabeth Roberts). Walter was baptised at Beverley Minster the 13 Feb 1897, the same day as his 5 year-old aunt, Ethel. Walter’s mother Clara married William Thorley of Hull Bridge in 1898 and they had at least six children, Walter retained the surname Roberts.
Walter enlisted in Beverley and joined the 5th Battalion Yorkshire (Territorial) Regiment - Yorkshire Hussars (Alexandra, Princess of Wales’ Own). Walter’s Medal Roll Index Card shows the qualifying date as 18 Apr 1915. This is the date that the 1/5th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment travelled from England to France. Walter took part in the action of the Battalion which earned them the nickname the “Yorkshire Gurkhas” – assisting the Canadian troops to contain the advance of the Germans at St Julien, after the German’s first use of a poison gas.
Walter was killed in action near Dranoutre (Ypres Salient) on 6 Jul 1915, he is buried in R.E. Farm Cemetery, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |