Walter Ormerod

Private 29126
8th Bn, East Lancashire Regiment

Walter was a Private in the East Lancashire Regiment, and is shown on the Commonwealth Debt of Honour Register as the husband of Mrs W. Ormerod, of Hall Carr Cottages, Rawtenstall - though the Army Register of Soldiers' Effects records that his effects were left to his widow, Alice A. Ormerod.

The Debt of Honour Register gives the date of his death as 2 January 1917, and records that he was 38 years old at the time of his death.

His death was reported in the Rossendale Free Press on 13 January 1917, where his age was given as 30 years, and his residence as Hall Farm Cottages, Rawtenstall.

Walter's name is commemorated on the Rawtenstall War Memorial.

At the time of Walter's death, 8th (Service) Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment were part of 112th Brigade in 37th Division.

Walter is buried in St Venant Communal Cemetery, France (Grave Ref. IV. A. 49). From January 1915 to October 1917, British and Indian Casualty Clearing Stations were posted at St Venant.

The Soldiers Died in the Great War Database records that Walter was born and enlisted in the Army in Rawtenstall. The Database simply notes that Walter "died" on 2 January 1917.

Prior to Walter's death the 8th Bn, East Lancashire Regiment, had been in the line in the Festubert Left Sub Sector.

On 23 December 1916 the Battalion had relieved the 1st Bn, Royal West Kent Regiment, and they remained in the line until 28 December 1916, when they were relieved in turn by the 11th Bn, Royal Warwickshire Regiment and proceeded to billets in Le Touret.

During their tour in the trenches the Battalion War Diary records:

"Enemy moderately quiet slight Minenwerfer activity casualties 2 OR killed 1 officer wounded 9 OR wounded."