Name
Walter Rolph
1886
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
16/09/1916
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
27801
Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry
6th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 6 B.
France
Headstone Inscription
He has no Headstone. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the missing, Somme, France.
UK & Other Memorials
St Matthew’s Church Memorial, Oxhey, Oxhey War Memorial, Not on the Watford memorials*1, Not listed on the Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
Walter Rolph was born on 25th December 1886, in Watford, Herts, he was the sixth son of George and Mary Ann Rolph (nee Yerby) of 7 Sotheron Road, Watford, Herts.
His father was a sawyer at the local Sawmills, George and Mary Ann had ten children, including twins. Mary Ann died in 1893 at the age of 39 and two years later George married Elizabeth Chapman, with whom he had two more children.
His father George died on 26th June 1908, in Watford aged 54. By the time of the 1911 census, Walter was living with 6 of his siblings and his widowed stepmother, still at 7, Sotheron Road, Watford, He was 24 and was employed as an auxiliary postman. The following year he married Emily Dilks in Watford. Emily was the eldest daughter of William and Sarah Dilks, an established Bushey family, who lived at 116 Pinner Road, Oxhey in 1911. Emily was employed as a Christmas card finisher printer.
Wartime Service
Formerly 3376 in the Hertfordshire Regiment. He joined the 6th battalion of the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry as Private 27801 and served in France and Flanders. He was killed in action on 16 September 1916 at the Somme and is remembered with honour on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing, pier and face 6B. He is commemorated on the memorial at St Matthew’s Church, Oxhey, where he is listed as W Ralph.
Additional Information
He is recorded on the St Mathews Church Memorial, and the Oxhey, Herts War Memorial as W. Ralph. Emily’s brother, William Dilks, a Private in the Bedfordshire Regiment, served in France and Flanders and was killed in action on 1 March 1918.
Walter Rolph and his brother-in-law William Dilks are also commemorated on the family headstone in Watford Cemetery. Their part of the inscription reads:
IN EVERLASTING MEMORY OF
WALTER ROLPH, KILLED IN ACTION SEPT. 17. 1916, AGED 29 YEARS.
ALSO OF
WILLIAM DILKS. SON OF THE ABOVE [Sarah Ann Dilks], KILLED IN ACTION MARCH 4. 1918.
SAFE AND IN THE ARMS OF JESUS, SAFE ON HIS GENTLE BREAST.
The value of his effects were £2-17s-7d, Pay Owing and £9, War Gratuity which went to his widow Emily. His Medal Card was not found, but the British War Medal and Victory Medal roll book was found. Additional information provided with kind permission of Bushey First World War Commemoration Project – Please visit www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk.
Service number is given as 28701 in some databases.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild
