Private Walter Mayzes

Born in Lambeth in the summer of 1887, Walter was the son of George and Phoebe Mayzes. He was baptizes in St Mary’s Church, Princes Road, Lambeth on 24 August 1887. George and Phoebe had married two years previously and went on to have four younger children Phoebe, George, Emma and Albert. Walter’s father was initially a labourer but by 1901 he was a stoker at a gasworks. The family were then living at Arterford Road, Kennington and Walter, aged 13, had found work as a district messenger.
On Christmas Day 1907, Walter married Kate Pope, who originated in Bow, London. The couple set up home in Clifton Street, Clapham and in February 1909 Walter, than aged 21, enlisted as a private in the Territorials. He had been working as a blacksmith for Purdy and Askdown in Nine Elms Lane but may have needed a more regular income.
By 1911 the Mayzes were living at 76, Grimsworth Road, Vauxhall. Walter was now working as a Blacksmith’s mate at a van building company. With the outbreak of war he joined the 4th Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment. There are few details regarding Walter’s military career but he is known to have transferred to the 136th Labour Corps. This was responsible for a variety of duties from constructing roads and railways, to transporting goods using mules and horses – something for which Walter’s pre-war employment made him ideally suited. He was discharged from the military at the end of June 1917 due to sickness – it is not known whether this was the result of wounds sustained in battled, shell shock or some sort of illness.
Walter died on 3 April 1919, aged 30. His was buried in a Commonwealth war grave at Morden Cemetery, (previously known as Battersea Cemetery), Lower Morden Lane according to the wishes of his widow, who was then living at Wycliffe Road, Battersea. She appears to have remarried at some point during the following year.