Walter Milward
He was a coal miner at Annesley Colliery from 1887 (aged 13) to 1893, and a professional soldier with 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Light Infantry (Service No. 4373) from 1893 to 1902. He went back to the pit on his return from the Boer War, before re-enlisting with 9th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment) in 1914.
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
He was the son of Mark and Mary Jane Milward of 14 Victoria Road Kirkby in Ashfield and the brother of Arthur Milward. He was the husband of Betty Bagshaw Milward of 11 Bannerman Road Kirkby in Ashfield Nottinghamshire and the father of Winifred Mary, Jack Bagshaw and Dorothy Milward.
Walter Milward enlisted in 1893, serving in the Yorkshire Light Infantry and was stationed in India before serving in the Boer War in 1899, receiving the Queen's South African Medal with four clasps and the King's medal with clasps, South Africa 1901, 1902. He was put on the army reserve list in 1902 and finally time served in 1909. Walter enlisted on 6th August 1914 with 9th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) and was given the rank of Sergeant in 'B' company, taking on the job of drill instructor. By early 1915 just prior to the battalion's move south he was made CSM (acting) and it was made substantive on the day he was wounded near Hetman Char/ Green Hill, Suvla.
The battalion took heavy casualties taking Chocolate Hill on 21 August 1915 and Walter was one of these men. He received a shrapnel wound in the right arm from an exploding shell. The wound did not receive proper attention for nearly four days due to the difficulty of getting men back to the medical facilities owing to constant Turkish sniping and shelling. Some casualties lay in No Man's Land for days prior to evacuation. When Walter eventually reached the hospital ship H.M. Soudan, lying offshore, gangrene had set in. He managed to dictate a letter to his family after an operation to amputate his arm, saying he would probably be home before it. He did not recover and was buried at sea off Malta on 29 August 1915, and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Gallipoli.
Much of this information comes from Jack Bagshaw Milward’s 1982 manuscript biography of his father, 'Walter Milward - Soldier and Coal Miner 1874 - 1915'. This was edited and published (with supporting documents, photographs etc.) by Hilary Hillier, Jack’s niece (and Winifred Mary’s daughter), in 2005.
Walter Milward
All photos on this page are courtesy of Walter Milward's grandaughter Hilary Hillier.
Walter's mother Mary Jane Milward (née Dennis) c.1900.
Milward serving in South Africa during the Boer War
Four NCOs at Belton Park Grantham 1914. The inscription on the back reads ' 'Dear Bett. Keep this for me. Have sent one of the others to Harriett have you heard of Toms accident his foot a stone fell on it. Have got over the inoculation. Yours as ever Walter’
Letter sent and signed by Walter Milward but written by a comrade. Gangrene from the wounded arm killed him.
Walter Milward name on Memorial
6090 CSM Walter Milward was wounded in action and eventually he was put on a Hospital Ship but died of his wounds and was buried at sea. He is commemorated on the Helles Memorial.Photo courtesy of John Morse
Walter Milward
Photograph shows the inscription of Thomas Milward's name on the Helles Memorial, Gallipoli and is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918