Walter Saxton
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Walter Saxton was born in 1885 at Eastwood and was the son of John a coal miner hewer and Martha Saxton of 12 East View Terrace, Langley Mill. Walter married Georgina Burrows French (born 12th November 1891 Brinsley) in 1907 their marriage was recorded in the Basford registration district, they lived at 23 Breach, Eastwood and had the following children, Minnie born April 1908, Jack born August 1910, (died 1976/77) Walter b1912 (died 1913) Georgina born June 1913 and Alfred born June 1914 . In the 1911 census the family are living at 23 Breach, Eastwood and are shown as Walter 26 yrs a coal miner hewer, he is living with his wife Georgina 20 yrs and their children Minnie 3 yrs and Jack 8 months of age. Following his death his widow Georgina was awarded a pension of 22 shillings and 6 pence a week which commenced on 29th January 1917. His widow went on to re marry Arthur Powdrill in 1921 the marriage was recorded in the Basford registration district.
Private Walter Saxton enlisted at Derby on 15th March 1915, he was 30 yrs and 5 months old and was a coal miner he served with 1/5th battalion Sherwood Foresters Regiment. He embarked from Southampton on the 10th November 1915 and disembarked in Rouen the following day and joined his unit in the field on the 14th November 1915. He was granted leave on June 4th 1916 to attend his mother's funeral but arrived too late for the burial and was back in the line by June 13th . He was killed near Gommecourt on the 1st July 1916 the first day of the Battle of the Somme having no known grave his name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.
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