Private Walter William Rearden
| Date of Birth | 26 May 1882 |
|---|---|
| Age at Death | 35 |
| Date of Death | 8 July 1917 |
| Service Number | 30346 |
| Military Service | 8th Battalion East Surrey Regiment |
| Merton Address | |
| Local Memorial | Mitcham War Memorial |
Additional Information
Born in Dulwich on 26 May, 1882, Walter was the son of joiner, William Rearden and his wife, Hannah. The couple also had an older son, Ernest plus two daughters, Gertrude and Sybil. On 27 January 1890, seven years old Walter was enrolled at the Goodrich Road School, Dulwich. His family was now living at 194 Barry Road. One year later they moved to 3 Crebor Street, Camberwell.
By 1901 Walter, was employed as a Mercantile Clerk. He married Eva Tribe at St. Paul’s Church, Clapham on 19 April 1908 and the marriage was witnessed by Eva’s father, James, who worked as a Mechanical Engineer. In 1911 the couple were living at 79 Links Road, Tooting and had a two year old daughter, Ivy, who was born in Mitcham. Walter was now employed as a Clerk at a Paper Merchants and Makers. In 1912 he and his wife had a second daughter, Olive, followed in 1916 by a third child, Daisy.
Walter enlisted as a Private with the 8th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment. His unit landed at Boulogne in July 1915 and went on to fight both in France and Belgium including action at the Battle of Loos (25 September – 19 October, 1915). The men of the 8th Battalion also fought at the Battle of the Somme (1 July –18 November, 1916), guaranteeing their place in history by famously going into the attack, whilst dribbling two footballs across No Man’s Land! (These items had been supplied by the Company Commander, Captain Nevill, possibly as a means for quelling nervousness and boosting morale amongst the platoons). The Captain and many of his men were killed, but the 8th East Surreys were one of the only battalions to reach and hold its objective on that day.
Walter was killed in action on 8 July 1917, aged 35. He was identified by his army disc and his personal effects were returned to his base. He is buried at Hooge Crater Cemetery in Belgium and his gravestone reads ‘Peace Perfect Peace’. His name also appears on the Mitcham War Memorial.
Walter’s wife Eva and their daughters continued to live at Links Road, on the Mitcham/Tooting border until the daughters left to get married. Ivy married James Sowden and died in Gloucester in 2003. Olive married Victor Saunders in 1939 and died in Liverpool in 1992 at the age of 79. Daisy married Leslie Bool in 1937. Eva is recorded as living with her daughter Daisy in Chertsey – she died in 1963, aged 79.