Pte 50091 Walter Barlow

• Age: 19
• From: Burnley, Lancs
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Tuesday 31st July 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

Walter was born in the second quarter of 1898 in Burnley, the son of James Barlow and his wife Margaret (nee Gill). His parents married on 03rd September 1892 at St Paul's Church, Burnley, James was 22 and Margaret was 27. Walter was baptised on 19th June 1898 at St Peter's  Church in Burnley.

The 1901 Census shows  James Barlow living at 87 Mary Street, Nelson with his wife Margaret. James born in Keighley in 1869, whilst Margaret was born in Burnley in 1866 which is wildly at odds with the information provided in 1911 where she states she was born in Keighley in 1877. She was in fact born in Burnley on 24th June 1865.  The children named on the Census are; Walter and his siblings Edith, John and a new born James born in 1900 in Nelson. Three of these children including Walter appear in 1911 and it is probable that James is one of the two children that the family lost in infancy.

His mother, Margaret, died aged 41 in the June quarter of 1907.

His father James remarried to Emma Hindle in 1908 at Christ Church, Lancaster, they had children James Jnr(b.1910) and Molly(b.1916)..   

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 111 Garnett Street, Barrowford, Nelson. Walter is 12 years of age and is shown to be already employed as a cotton weaver. His parents declare that they have been married for 13 years and have had 9 children of whom 2 have sadly died.(figure altered from the correct 3 years to cater for all the children). His father James, is a cotton overlooker born in Keighley in 1870, his stepmother, Emma, was born in Bradford in 1877. Walter's six siblings are shown as; Edith born 1895 in Burnley and a cotton weaver, John born in 1896 and also a cotton weaver, Evelyn born in 1902 in Nelson, Horatio born in Nelson in 1904, Arthur born in Nelson in 1906 and newborn James born in Barrowford in 1911.

His siblings Edith, John and Minnie  were all baptised at St Paul's Church, Burnley. Minnie died in 1894 and another child James born 1900 died in 1902. According to GRO records all the children were born to Margaret (nee Gill) so no mention of mother as Emma except on the 1911 census. (probably a pet name) The other children were registered as Eveline, Horatio, Arthur, and James who was born 1910. So all nine children are full siblings.    

Prior to the war he was employed by Messrs: Brown & Co as a weaver.

He was serving in the 20th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 50091 and was aged 19 when he was killed in action on the 31st July 1917  during the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele). He had been at the front for just six weeks. 

20^th Battalion

On that day, the 89th Brigade was to follow up the attacks of the 21st and 90th Brigades and once their objectives had been taken, to go through them and secure a line of strong points on the German third line. The 89th Brigade line of attack was from the South West corner of Polygon Wood, to the Menin Road. The 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment was on the left of the attack, and the 20th to the right, with the 19th Battalion and the 2nd Battalion The Bedfordshire Regiment, in Divisional Reserve.

On that day, the 89th Brigade was to follow up the attacks of the 21st and 90th Brigades and once their objectives had been taken, to go through them and secure a line of strong points on the German third line. The 89th Brigade line of attack was from the South West corner of Polygon Wood, to the Menin Road. The 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment was on the left of the attack, and the 20th to the right, with the 19th Battalion and the 2nd Battalion, The Bedfordshire Regiment, in Divisional Reserve.

The Battalion moved into assembly positions east of Maple Copse between 05.00 and 05.20am, they were heavily shelled and suffered many casualties. At 07.50 they began to advance with the 17^th Battalion on the left, and the 20^th on the right, the whole time under heavy shell fire. On reaching their position which was the Blue Line , troops of both the 21^st and 90^th Brigades were still pinned down  and thus any attempt at further progress were futile.

At this point a message was sent to Brigade HQ advising that Companies were digging in on and consolidating a line running south from Stirling Castle.

Walter's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as 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.

His death was reported in the Burnley Express on 18th August 1917:

Mrs Barlow, 113 Nora Street, Barrowford has been informed of the death of their son Private Walter Barlow, King's Liverpool Rgiment. He had only been in France six weeks. Prior to the war he was a weaver at Messrs. Brown and Co., Holmfield Mill. He was connected with Church Street Primitive Methodist Church and was 19 years of age. 

His death was also reported in the Burnley News on 18th August 1917: 

Pte Walter Barlow (19), King's Liverpool Regiment, 113 Nora Street, Barrowford, has been killed in action. He has only been in France 6 weeks. 

Soldiers Effects to father James, Pension to mother Emma.

CWGC records show his next of kin as James Barlow and his wife Emma, of 5 Forest View, Barrowford, Nelson, Lancs.

Walter is commemorated on the family headstone in Nelson Cemetery which reads:-

In Loving Memory Of

JAMES

Beloved Husband Of EMMA BARLOW,

Died December 21st 1936, Aged 65 years.

Also EMMA,

A Beloved Wife And Mother,

Died Feb 23rd 1958, aged 82 years.

Also JAMES, Their Son

Died March 19th 1935, Aged 24 years.

Also WALTER, Their Son Killed In Action (France) July 1917 Aged 19 years.

Also SYLVESTER, Their Son Died In Infancy. 

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