WALTIER, Wallace

Wallace Waltier was born in Wordsley and lived with his wife at 18 Rectory Street, Wordsley. He enlisted in the Yorkshire Light Infantry and was transferred to the 8th (Service) Battalion of the York and Lancaster Regiment. He possibly joined them in 1916 when they fought on the Somme, capturing Contalmaison in the first three days and then Le Sars on virtually the last day of the battle. In the early part of 1917 they fought at Messines before being sent to the Ypres salient for the September phase of the Third Battle of Ypres. They arrived on the Menin Road near Hooge and took over the front line trenches. In preparation for a major attack two raids were made on enemy trenches on the 17th September. They were highly successful but one man, Private Wallace Waltier, died of wounds on this day. He was 31 years of age and is buried in the Menin Road South Cemetery (I U 19) and commemorated on the Wordsley Memorial.