Name
Walter George Stokes
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
05/06/1917
23
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Gunner
170890
Royal Field Artillery
'D' Battery, 180th Brigade
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
KEMMEL CHATEAU MILITARY CEMETERY
D. 75.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Peace perfect peace with loved one's far away
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial,
St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin,
British Schools Museum Memorial, Hitchin,
Not on the Great Offley Village Memorial
Pre War
He was born in Offley, the fifth son of Mr and Mrs George Stokes of ‘Oak Villa’, 18, Lancaster Road, Hitchin. He enlisted in Hitchin,
He was described as having a bright sunny character, intelligent and good-humoured and was well-known to the Hitchin Playhouse and as a member of the Hitchin Church Adult Class.
Wartime Service
Walter joined the Royal Field Artillery in October 1915 serving with ‘D’ Battery of the 180th Brigade. His Service Number was 170890 and he went to France in September 1916. He was killed in action in Flanders two days before the opening of the Battle of Messines.
‘D’ Battery was part of the 16th (Irish) Division in IX Corps of the 2nd Army. IX Corps were in the centre of the attack and the 16th Division were attacking the village of Wytschaete immediately east of where he was buried. The 180th Brigade was firing mainly gas shells from 4.5" howitzers. 2266 artillery pieces were involved in the Battle of Messines plus 19 landmines that were detonated under the German lines.
The artillery duel lasted for 8 days from the 31st May 1917 with intense bombardments and 3 million shells fired by the British. It resulted in a spectacular British victory planned by General (Daddy) Plumer, one of the British Generals who had any concern for the lives of his troops.
He was buried in Row D, Grave 75 in the Kummel Chateau Military Cemetery in Belgium.
Additional Information
His headstone bears the private inscription "Peace perfect peace with loved one's far away".
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, Adrian Pitts, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
