Name
Walter James Hucklesby
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
10/07/1917
34
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
25608
Northamptonshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
NIEUPORT MEMORIAL
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Harpenden Town Memorial, The Church of St Nicholas Memorial, Harpenden, Batford Methodist Church Memorial, Batford
Pre War
.Walter James was born in Luton in 1883. He was the eldest son of Walter Hucklesby, a bricklayer, and Lizzie (nee Hardy).
On the 1891 Census Father, Mother, Walter J and two younger brothers, Freddie and Willie the family were living at Chapel Row, Harpenden. By the 1901 Census Walter J was a bricklayer’s labourer and the family had increased by Herbert, Florence Ellen, Henry and Percy Lennan and were living on Station Road, Harpenden near the Great Northern Railway Station.
In 1907 Walter J married Edith Hill and they made a home at Salisbury Road Batford Harpenden. On the 1911 Census Walter was listed as a bricklayer labourer and worked at Vauxhall Motors in Luton. . Walter J was a member of Batford Methodist Church.
Wartime Service
Walter enlisted as Private 25608 in the Northamptonshire Regiment. He went to join the 1st Battalion. In May 1917 1st Division (including 1st Northants Battalion) were deployed to the Belgian Coast for ‘Operation Hush’ a subsequently cancelled operation. They occupied a section of Front Line near Nieuwpoort. However the troop movements were detected by the Germans, who launched the 1st, 2nd, 3rd Marinenkorps in Operation Strandfest (Beach Party) on 10 July . The 1st Northants were isolated by this attack and Walter was reported killed during this fighting.
His remains were not recovered and he is remembered on the Nieuwpoort Memorial.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £4 and arrears of £2 0s 8d paid to his widow. Brother Henry served with Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding) Regiment and was killed on 10 Apr 1918 and is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Ypres.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Mary Skinner, Harpenden & District Local History Society (www.harpenden-history.org.uk), Jonty Wild
