Walter William Ball
In business Walter was the manager of the cleaning and dyeing department of the Daybrook Laundry Company, Mansfield Road, Daybrook.
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
Walter was born in 1887, the second son of Alfred Holmes and Emma Ball of “Sunnyside” 7 Nelson Road, Daybrook, Nottingham. Walter was educated at the Nottingham High School and afterwards at the University College. He was a member of the Society of Chemical Industry and also the Nottingham Guild of Mechanical and Electrical Engineers. At school he was a member of the Cadet Corps and later a lieutenant in the Boys Brigade.
He was the son of Albert Holmes Ball a laundry manager and Emma Ball née Woolley of ‘Sunnyside’ 7 Nelson Road, Daybrook.
His father Alfred Holmes was born in 1856 , his mother Emma Woolley was born in 1855 both were born in Nottingham, they were married on 9th September 1877 at Holy Trinity church Nottingham, they went on to have 9 children, sadly two were to die in infancy or early childhood.
In the 1911 census the family are living at Sunnyside 7 Nelson Road, Daybrook, Alfred Holmes 55 yrs is a laundry manager, he is living with his wife Emma 56 yrs and their children, Emma Georgina 32 yrs a clerk, Walter William 23 yrs a forman garment and dyer, Oliver Herbert a bank clerk, Mable Holmes 13 yrs a scholar, Percy Edward 10 yrs of age, also living with them is a female servant.
On the outbreak of war he joined the Officers Training Corps of the University College under Captain Trotman, and was gazetted 2nd Lieutenant on 24 December 1914 He was in the thick of the fighting at the battle of Loos on September 25th, 26th and 27th and came safely through. In the early morning of Wednesday 24th November whilst organizing a firing party with “B” Company with his Captain, he was shot through the head by a sniper at about 6.30am. He was buried at about 6.30pm the same day in a cemetery near Armentiers, France. CWGC: Houplines Communal Cemetery Extension, France (grave ref. I.A.21).The painful news of his death was conveyed to his parents by his younger brother Oliver.
CWGC headstone personal inscription: 'Peace perfect peace
'Nottingham Evening Post, 'Roll of Honour', 30th November 1915:- “BALL. – Killed in action, November 24th, Second-Lieut. Walter William Ball, 10th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment, second dearly beloved son of Alfred H. and Emma Ball, “Sunnyside,” Daybrook, aged 28 years.” Above notice courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918
His brother Second Liuetenant Oliver Herbert Ball originally enlisted and served as a bombardier in the Royal Garrison Artillery, he was commissioned as Second Lieuteneat into the Yorkshire Regiment. he was killed in action on 28th September 1916 and was buried in the Guards Cemetery Lesboeufs, France (grave ref. VI. P. 10).
Walter William Ball
Photograph courtesy of Cliff Housley