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Pte. Walter Speight British Army 8th Battalion, 13 Company, 6 Platoon Kings Own YorkshireLight Infantry


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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment

241336

Pte. Walter Speight

British Army 8th Battalion, 13 Company, 6 Platoon Kings Own YorkshireLight Infantry

from:Castleford, West Yorkshire

(d.10th June 1917)

Walter Speight enlisted on the 1st of February 1912 and joined the 5th Battalion. K.O.Y.L.I.

Extracts from his Soldiers own diary: 2nd time out 1917 Battle of Messines.

27 April 1917: Left Folkstone, England for Boulogne, France

28 April: Left Boulogne, France for Etaples (15 Miles March)

29 April - 12 May Training in Etaples

13 May: Landed near the Front line at Abeele rest camp

16 May: posted to KOYLI B Company 6 Platoon 3 Section (all decent boys!)

17 May: Training for Attack near Watou

20 May: Sent to rest Billets too ill with Flu Temprature 100.2

24 May: Left rest Billets for railway dugouts behind the front line

25 May: Night Working party St Peter’s Street

26 May: Trenches first left of Hill 60 very hot quarters. Man Named “Smith” who came out with me was killed

27 May: Bombardment

28 May: Bombardment continued 7 Casualties

29-30 May: Straffing pretty freely both sides

31 May: Going to M camp near Poperinge (NEVER TO BE FORGOTTEN)

1 June: 3am Exciting night dodging shells under gas clouds (good days rest)

2 June: spent most of the day writing letters

3 June: Day in Poperinge buying presents for family

4 June: Went to Assembly trench waiting for time to mount

5 June: Assembly trench off St Peter’s Street (nothing Doing to pass time)

There are no More details in the Diary. Walter died of Wounds on the 10th of June.









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