Pte 36216 Walter Everard Russell

• Age: 22
• From: Barrowford, Lancs
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• D.O.W Sunday 24th June 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

Walter Everard Russell was born in the June quarter of 1895 in Barrowford, Lancashire, the son of Robert Russell and his wife Elizabeth Jane (nee Moore) Russell, of 123 Waids House Road, Nelson.  He was the fourth of five children, and the youngest son. His siblings were Arthur, Edmund, Harold, and Eva. Five other children died young.

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 25, Poplar Street, Nelson, Burnley, Lancashire.

The father Robert aged 34, born 1867 is a bricklayer’s labourer and was born in Skipton, Yorkshire. His wife Elizabeth Jane aged 32, born 1869 has no occupation listed was also born in Skipton. They have five children at the time of the Census, Arthur aged 13, born 188 a cotton weaver and Edmund aged 11, born 1890 were both born in Skipton, Harold aged 8, born 1893 and Walter aged 6, born 1895 were born in Barrowford, Eva aged 3, born 1898 was born in Nelson, Lancashire.

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 123 Waids House Road, Nelson, Lancashire.

The father Robert now aged 45, (year of birth now shown as 1866) is a mason’s labourer and his wife Elizabeth Jane aged 43, (year of birth shown as 1868) has no occupation listed. They have been married for twenty five years and have had ten children of which five had died. They have their five children living with them at the time of the Census, Arthur now married and aged 23, is a mason’s labourer, Edmund aged 20, (year of birth now 1891) is a farm labourer, Harold aged 17, (year of birth 1894) is a reacher in to a twister in a cotton mill, Walter Edward aged 16, is a twister, and Eva aged 13 is employed as a weaver tenter.  

He enlisted in Nelson and was serving in the 19th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 36216 when he died of wounds on the 24th June, 1917 aged 22.

He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Belgium.

The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates casualties from the forces of Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and United Kingdom who died in the Salient. In the case of United Kingdom casualties, only those prior 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. New Zealand casualties that died prior to 16 August 1917 are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.

The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927.

In the Lancashire Daily Post, on 6^th July 1917: 

 “Nelson Soldier’s Death from Wounds.  Pte. Walter Russell (22), King’s Liverpool Regiment, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Russell, 123, Waids House Road, Nelson, is officially reported to have died of wounds in France.  He joined the army in March last year, prior to which he was employed as a twister at Valley Mills.  Two of his brothers are serving, one being in France and the other in India.”

Brother Edmund attested as T35015 ASC on 7th Sept 1914 but was discharged a few days later with Mitral Stenosis.

Pension card - mother Elizabeth Jane, St. Paul’s Road, Nelson, Lancs., and 123 Waids House Road, Nelson.

Soldiers Effects to father Robert, Pension to mother Elizabeth Jane.

We currently have no further information on Walter Everard Russell, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.