Name
Walter James Bird
1879
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
17/07/1916
37
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Corporal
18294
Bedfordshire Regiment
6th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
HEILLY STATION CEMETERY, MERICOURT-L'ABBE
II. D. 23.
France
Headstone Inscription
HE SHALL GIVE HIS PEOPLE THE BLESSING OF PEACE
UK & Other Memorials
Baldock Town Memorial, St Mary the Virgin Church Memorial, Baldock, Not on the Letchworth memorials
Pre War
Walter James Bird was born in 1879 in Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire, the son of Charles Bird and Sarah A (nee Bird) and one of nine children.
By the 1891 Census the family of parents, Charles (born 1879), Walter, Elizabeth (born 1883), William (born 1885) and Harry (born 1889) had moved to Codicote and were living at Marnsells [Maunsells], near Codicote Bury, Codicote, Herts, where his father was working as a shepherd.
Walter was a boarder in 1901, living at the home of the widow Mary Humphrey and her son Arthur at Hall's Yard, Hatfield where he was working as a railway engine cleaner.
He returned to live with his family of parents, William, Harry (both iron workers), Mabel (born 1893,bookbinder), Maud (born 1895, embroidery worker), Nellie ( born 1898) in 1911 who were then living at 34 Green Lane, Letchworth, Herts, at which time Walter was working as a gravel pit general labourer.
He married Nora Clara Stanley in the Hitchin district later in 1911 and they were living at 17, Clarkes Lane, Baldock, Herts when he enlisted. His parents later lived 157, Common View, Letchworth, Herts;
Wartime Service
No Service Record was found. Walter enlisted in Bedford as Private 18294 and served with the 6th (Service) Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, being promoted to the rank of Corporal. This Battalion was part of 112th Brigade, 37th Division, going to France in Jul 1915 from Southampton.
Walter died on 17 July 1916, aged 37, at No. 38 Casualty Clearing Station in France, from wounds received in action, possibly during an assault on Pozieres two days earlier. He is buried in Heilly Station Cemetery, Mericourt L-Abbe, France.
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £8 and pay owing of £5 0s 6d. She also received a pension of 13 shillings a week.
Walter's brother William served with the Royal Engineers from December 1914, later transferring to the Signals Corps. In December 1917. He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for gallantry in the field and left the army in April 1919.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer, Neil Cooper
Adrian Pitts, Paul Johnson. www/cwgc.org/stones/stories/bird-brothers
