Walter Neeves (1890-1918)

Post date: Apr 10, 2018 4:4:42 PM

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission show Walter, aged 28 as having died on 20th December 1918 (i.e. after the armistice came into force). He was from Royal Air Force (R.A.F.) No.1 Base, Malta (previously Royal Naval Air Station at Kalafrana in the south of the island) serving in the R.A.F. which had only come into existence as an entity independent of the army and navy in April 1918. His parents are stated to be B. George and E. R. Neeves, of 226, Tonbridge Rd., Maidstone, Kent (by Oakwood Park). He is buried at St. Germain Au Mont D'Or (14 km north of Lyon, France) in grave B49, one of approximately 100 from WW1. The site was used as a Rest Camp and a small British Hospital until November 1919.

Walter's service record shows he joined up on 18th November 1915 for the duration of the war, initially in the R.N.A.S. (Royal Naval Air Service) before being transferred to a new unit (probably the R.A.F.) on 1st April 1918. He is shown as having been a policeman in civilian life. In the service he was a mechanic before advancing to become a Leading Mechanic from 1st November 1917. He was 5' 9³/₄'' tall with a 35' chest. He had brown hair and blue eyes.

His career in the service from his service record is difficult to follow. He is recorded at Malta from 1st April 1918. A note on his service record shows he died of influenza¹.

In the 1891 and 1901 censuses the family are living on the Tonbridge Road in Wateringbury at 2 Prospect Place. His father, Benjamin is employed as a Brewer's Clerk. Walter is the newly born (in Wateringbury) baby of the family in 1891, with elder brothers, Albert, Frank, Charles and Percy at home plus sister, Charlotte. By 1901 there is an additional sister, Ethel.

Walter attended Wateringbury School along with at least some of his brothers but apparently he was the only one to serve in the armed forces during the war. His father died in 1922 but his mother, Elizabeth, lived until 1954 dying at the age of 100 in Maidstone, some 36 years after her son.

Notes:

1. The 1918/19 influenza pandemic was world-wide causing 50-100 million deaths. In UK there were 250,000 deaths covering every part of UK. The epidemic struck in 3 waves: spring 1918; autumn 1918 (the most lethal of 3 waves) and spring 1919. Unlike previous (or subsequent) flu epidemics mortality was concentrated (for reasons still not understood) on those in age range 25-30 with fewest amongst those of school age.