Private 201559 Harry Walton


Killed in Action on Friday, 13th April 1917, age 19.
Commemorated on Pier and Face 5 A and 6 C of Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.

1st/7th Bn., Worcestershire Regiment. 144th Brigade of 48th Division.
Formerly 3852 Worcestershire Regiment.

Born: Tipton, Enlisted: Dudley, Resident: Tipton.

First landed France & Flanders, May 1917.
Medal entitlement: British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives did not survive.

Commemorated on the Tipton Library, and St. Matthew's memorials.
Commemorated here because he appears on a Tipton memorial.

Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/819006/


Genealogical Data

1901 Census
5 Railway Buildings, Bloomfield Road, Tipton, Staffs.
George Walton (33, Railway Carter, born Kinver), his wife Olive (35, born Franche), and their 3 children: Annie Olive (8, born Tipton), George Henry (6, born Tipton), and Harry (3, born Tipton).

1911 Census
19 Neptune Street, Tipton, Staffs.
George Walton (43, Carter, born Kinver), his wife Olive (45, born Franche), and their 4 surviving children of 4: Annie Olive (18, born Tipton), George Henry (16, Butcher's Boy, born Tipton), Harry (13, Grocer's Errand Boy, born Tipton), and Stanley Ewart (6, School, born Tipton).


Personal Data

None Available.


Action resulting in his death

During March and April 1917 the 1/7th Worcesters, as part of 48th (South Midland) Division, were involved in the "Advance to the Hindenburg Line". The Hindenburg Line was the new German defensive system, built since August 1916 and intended to form an impregnable line some miles behind the 1916 Somme battlefield. The 48th Division had advanced east from Peronne, and on the 1st April had captured the town of Epehy. By the evening of the 12th April the 1/7th Worcesters were in the front line between Ronssoy and Hagricourt.

At 04.00 on the morning of 13th April the 1/7th Worcesters, along with the 1/4th Gloucesters, attacked across thick snow beneath a full moon and captured the ridge running south from Le Sart Farm to Malakoff Farm. In the words of Stacke's 'Worcestershire Regiment in the Great War' - "a gratifying little success".

This "gratifying little success", however, cost the lives of 13 men from the 1/7th Worcesters and 9 men from the 1/4th Gloucesters. The Worcesters casualties included Harry Walton and Levi Davies; neither man has a known grave and both are commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme.


Newspaper Cuttings

Tipton Herald May 12th 1917
In Memoriam
Walton.- Harry, April 13th 1917, age 19.