Walter was born  in the June Qtr of 1870 in the registration District of Ticehurst, Kent, Sussex. ( Volume 2b, Page 81)

His parents, Thomas Neeves and Emily Eaton had married at Ticehurst in 1867 (Volume 2b, page 141) and on the 1871 census they were still in Ticehurst. Thomas, 33, was a Beer Retailer who had been born in Rye, Sussex. His wife Emily 24 had been born in Burwash, as had their son Walter.

In 1881 the family was living in the High Street, Ticehurst, Thomas, 44, was listed as a Groom, Emily was 34.  Walter, 11 was a scholar and a new baby, Mary, 1, born in Ticehurst had joined the family.    There was a boarder, Daniel Leaney, unmarried and 18 who was a gardener.

By 1891  the family had moved to Shover’s Green Post Office, High Street, Ticehurst.   Thomas, 53 was still a groom and Emily was 43.  The listed children were  Mary, 11, Emily, 9, Annie, 7, Albert, 5 and Arthur, 4. Walter was not there.

Walter was married in 1898 in Cheltenham to Lucy Hannah Preece (Volume 6a, Page 833).

The 1911 census records Walter & Lucy Hannah living at  Little Home, Hawarden, Chester.  Walter, 41 was a Park Ranger on an Estate (Domestic) in  ‘Private Service’.  He stated that  he had been born in Stonegate, Sussex.  His wife of 12 years, Lucy Hannah, had been born in Daisley, Shropshire. There were no children.

UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919 accessible on www.ancestry.co.uk  confirms Walter’s regimental information as above and tells us that he was born in Burwash, Sussex and enlisted in Chester.  His medal card also on ‘Ancestry’,  details his medals and states that he first entered a theatre of war on the 7th October 1914.  It does not tell us where that was.

There is a card for Walter in The Flintshire Roll of Honour in The county Record Office in Hawarden.  (F 24 Hawarden)It confirms  his regimental details and gives the address,  Wold House, Hawarden. It says his  period of service was 3 years. The card was written and signed by his wife  L.H. Neeves.  (Lucy Hannah), on the 20th October 1920.

Walter was 47 years old when he died. Much older than most soldiers.

For the history of the RAMC courtesy of http://www.ramc-ww1.com/, please see website.