Walter George Tilley (1890-1917)
Kettering Boot maker served with 1st/5th DLI commemorated on the Arras Memorial
Walter George Tilley, the son of Arthur John and Annie Tilley, was born in Kettering, Northamptonshire in July 1890. He had four brothers and a sister and lived in Kettering all his life until he enlisted in the Northamptonshire Regiment at Peterborough when working in a boot & shoe factory. He was later transferred to the 1st/5th Battalion Durham Light Infantry and throughout his service in the army he was known as George. Records vary as to the date of his death between 23 and 24 April and it may be that he was wounded on the 23 but died on the 24. In either case he died at the Battle of Arras and is commemorated on the Arras & Kettering Memorials, in the Durham Cathedral DLI Book of Remembrance and on the Kettering WW1 Roll of Honour.
Birth date: Jul-1890
Death date: 23-Apr-1917
Armed force/civilian: Army
Residence: 10 Harcourt Street, Kettering, Northamptonshire (1891 & 1901 censuses)
6 Havelock Street, Kettering, Northamptonshire (1911 census)
Employment: Boot sole tacker (1911 census)
Family: Father: Arthur John Tilley
Mother: Annie Oram Tilley (nee Woolmer)
Siblings: Arthur Harry, Elsie Louisa, Charles, Leonard John & Leslie Tilley
Military service:
Northamptonshire Regiment
Regimental no.: 3205
1st/5th Battalion Durham Light Infantry
Regimental nos.: 9300 & 200919
Private
Medal(s): British War Medal
Victory Medal
Memorial(s): Arras Memorial, Bay 8
Durham Cathedral DLI Book of Remembrance
Kettering WW! Roll of Haonour
Kettering War Memorial, Sheep Street, Kettering
Gender: Male
Contributed by John Edwards
