Unlike his brother Herbert, Walter was not enthusiastic about joining the war and was not conscripted into the army until June 1916 as he was originally exempted because of being a fisherman.  Unfortunately, he decided to make this a part time profession as well as working in a shop, and the local military tribunal refused his next application for exemption.  He was sworn into the 16^th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers and sent to France where he served for about nine months before being dying of wounds received during the Third Battle of Passchendaele.  His father, who had sold his fishmongers in Filey and moved to Knaresborough received this letter from a chaplain at the front:

          “I sent you a letter on November 30^th to tell you your son was wounded.  I am very sorry to tell you that he passed away that same night, at 9.30pm.  He wished me to say “Slightly wounded but getting on well.  Don’t worry I am being treated well.”  This was in the morning and no further message was given.  It is particularly hard lines that he and a few others should be wounded at the casualty clearing station [Authors note: this would presumably be an artillery bombardment] in xxxxxx [censored place name].   We laid his body to rest in Mendingheim Military Cemetery.”