WALTERS Christopher T

Christopher Walters attended Worcester Royal Grammar School from 1905 to 1907. After leaving school he worked for the Dent, Allcroft and Co. glove factory until he enlisted in the army. He was a member of Worcester Cathedral choir for 14 years as well as a member of Worcester Rowing Club. Whilst in the army he spent 2 months in hospital suffering from diphtheria and was later gassed in France.

As the Battle of the Somme dragged on, his battalion were brought in as fresh reinforcements and during the night of 1st/2nd November 1916 they found themselves in the ruins of Contalmaison. The following afternoon saw the battalion move to the line at Le Sars where they took over the front line trenches astride the Bapaume Road. The village of Warlencourt lay down the slope in front of the trenches and to the right of the line rose the Butte de Warlencourt. It was in these trenches that Lance Corporal Christopher Walters was killed in action.

Source for additional information: In Dedication to a Future World by Mark Rogers, 1999.

Worcester Daily Times 16th November 1916:
Christopher Walters was born in Worcester in 1893. He was educated at the Grammar School and had a 14 year association with the Cathedral choir. He was engaged at Messrs. Dent, Allcroft & Co. glove factory when war broke out. Being in camp with the corps., he was detained for active service and went to France with the first of the local territorials. He had a very broken time as regards to health. In hospital for two months with diphtheria, he came home for a time and was then in hospital again and subsequently gassed. His C.O. wrote “He was liked so much by all of us”. A comrade, A.V. Bough writes of his cheerful disposition and “very popular, especially with those of us who first came to take part in this unpleasant task out here”.

On the 1st and 2nd November, the 1/8th Worcesters lay in the ruins of Contalmaison. The following afternoon they moved forward through Martinpuich and took over front line trenches astride the Bapaume road.

Newspaper and further additional information researched by Adrian Carter.