Walter Slater

Army Service Record (RHQ Grenadier Guards). Enlisted on a Short Service Engagement at the age of 18y 5m on 8 July 1911 at Derby, having formerly served in the Sherwood Foresters as a Territorial. Joined at Caterham on 11 July 1911, appointed (unpaid) lance corporal 16 June 1913 and transferred to the Army Reserve 8 July 1914 on completion of army service. Mobilized 4 August 1914, appointed Lance Corporal 13 August 1914. To France 4 October 1914 and reported missing 26 October 1914-2 November 1914. Next of kin notified of date of death (29 October 1914) in December 1914. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.

Nottingham Evening Post, 17 July 1915 and Mansfield Reporter, 23 July 1915 (extract): ‘Notts. Standing Joint Committee. Over 100 Policemen Join the Colours. The report of the Chief Constable (Capt. Tomasson) stated that during the past quarter … He regretted that Pc. AH Mitchell, who rejoined his regiment on the 4th August, was killed in action on April 30th, and that Pc. TA Kerry, who enlisted on the 7th September, was killed on the same day (sic-1 June 1915). Of the total of 104 members of the force who had joined the army four (sic) had been killed.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Note: Three other Nottinghamshire police constables had been killed by July 1915: George Ernest Chapman Coldstream Guards and Walter Slater Grenadier Guards (death confirmed 1916) both on 29 October 1914 and John George Ballard Grenadier Guards 7 November 1914. Notts Free Press 4th February 1916. 'Mr. And Mrs J Slater of Sutton Road have been informed from the Record Office (London) that their son, Corporal Walter Slater, 15346, Grenadier Guards, who has been reported as “wounded and Missing” since October, 1914, must be regarded as having been killed between October 26th and November 2nd , 1914 (probably October 29th) Corporal Slater was one of five brothers with the forces on land or sea. He was 22 years old, and had only been home six weeks after serving three years in the Grenadiers when he was called up. His photo will appear next week.' Mansfield Advertiser - 4th February 1916 HUTHWAITE GUARDSMAN KILLED IN ACTION Corporal Walter Slater, of the Grenadier Guards, whose home was at Huthwaite, has been among the “wounded and missing” for over a year; but his parents have now been officially notified that he was killed in October, 1914. The deceased soldier was 22 years old, and was one of five brothers with the Colours; one of whom gained the D.C.M. all the five averaged over six feet in height. Notts Free Press – 11th February, 1916. HUTHWAITE SOLDIER’S DEATH - ONE OF FIVE SOLDIER BROTHERS The photograph is that of Corporal Slater, 15346, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, of Huthwaite whose death was reported in our last issue. Deceased, who is one of the five soldier sons of Mr and Mrs James Slater, Sutton Road, Huthwaite, was reported as both wounded and missing since November, 1914, and has now been reported as killed. He was 22 years of age. The other brothers are King’s Corporal J.W. Slater, D.C.M., 8313, R.A.M.C., aged 33, married with five children, who has been in France over a year. Private H. Slater, R.M.L.I., who spent eight months in the Dandanelles until invalided home with dysentery. He is 28 years of age and married, with one child. He is now on the “Dominion” Sergeant J.T. Slater, who is 25 years of age and married, with one child, is with 1-8 Sherwood Foresters(T.F.) in France. He gained his stripes at the front. Private G Slater, 2289, is with the 1-8 Sherwood Foresters, and is 20 years of age. He was wounded in France in August last. The average height of the brothers is over six feet. Nottingham Evening Post 15/4/1916 (Courtesy of Jim Grundy): The deaths in action of two Nottinghamshire police officers, Walter Slater and William Brown, were marked at a meeting of the county police authority at the Shire Hall on 15th April 1916: NOTTS. POLICEMEN KILLED IN ACTION. MEETING OF THE STANDING JOINT COMMITTEE. Lord Galway presided over a meeting of the Notts. Standing Joint Committee at the Shire Hall to-day. [15th April 1916] In his quarterly report, the Chief Constable (Capt. Tomasson) stated that 404 persons were apprehended by the police, of whom eight were discharged, 392 summarily disposed of, and four committed for trial. Police-constables Walter Slater and William C. Brown, who rejoined their regiments on August. 4th, were killed in action — Slater [1] on October 24th, 1914, and Brown on February 6th 1916. Regret was also expressed at the death of Sergt. Wm. H. Chapman, who, when cycling on duty at Teversal on February 16th, collided with a telegraph pole and was killed. He had served over 17 years, and the Chief Constable recommended that his widow be granted a pension of £15 a year, and his four children £2 10s. year each until they reach the age of 15. The death also took place on Feb. 27th of P.c. Enos Leivers, who had served over 27 years, and the recommendation was that his widow, Annie Leivers, be granted a gratuity of £205 6s. 3d. being one month's pay for each completed year of approved service. Constables G. P. Sissons and Walter Fielding had ceased to be members of the force, and he recommended that the ratable deductions made from their pay be returned to them from the Superannuation Fund. Sanction was asked for telephone extensions at Kimberley, Nottingham, Collingham, Retford, and Beeston. The report was adopted. The remuneration of the clerk to the justices of the Bingham petty sessional division was fixed at £150, and that of the clerk to the Newark division £200. [1] L/Cpl. Walter Slater, King's Company, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, was killed in action, aged 21, on 29th October 1914. The son of James Slater, of 26 Sutton Road, Huthwaite, he is commemorated on the Menin Gate.' Above information is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918