Walter Frederick Parr was born in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire in 1884 and baptised on 20th November in Holy Trinity Church in the same year. He was the second son born to Walter Parr and Frances Sarah Ford Foster and his older brother was Herbert Henry. His father worked in the brewing trade in Burton as a Maltster but, not long after Walter was born, his mother Frances died leaving his widowed father to raise the two boys.

However, Walter Snr. remarried in 1890 and he and his new wife Mary Ann then had five children together. Young Walter’s half brothers and sisters were; Mary Jane Susan, Charles, Ernest William, Emily Margaret and the youngest Lilian. His half-brother Charles Albert also fought and died in the Great War on 3rd August 1917.

Following his father’s second marriage, Walter along with his parents and older brother Herbert, was living at 32 George Street, Chesham in Buckinghamshire and his father was plying his trade with T & J Nash, owners of Chesham Brewery. Nash acquired the ‘Anchor Brewery’ in 1890 and this resulted in Walter Snr. moving his family to Hemel Hempstead two years later to be near his new place of work.

The family settled in Bury Road but, sadly Walter’s father died in 1898 and his step-mother Mary Ann was suddenly left with five children aged under ten. Walter aged sixteen was still at home and no doubt took on much responsibility for his younger siblings. His mother worked as a Charwoman and to supplement the meagre household income, Walter enlisted in 1901 with the 4th Bedfordshire Regiment as a Militiaman as well as working as a Coal Carter. His service record shows that Walter gave his age as 18 years and 3 months on enlistment, two years older than he really was. The fact that he lied to ensure enlistment perhaps emphasises his family’s financial plight following his father’s death.

His brother Herbert married Daisy Wilson from Crouchfield, Boxmoor in 1905 and by 1911 Walter was living with them and their son Walter Herbert at 139 Marlowes in Hemel Hempstead. He was still working as a Coal Carter and had by this time completed his four years of service with the Militia. Later in 1911 he moved to Northampton to live and work and whilst there met local girl May Marvesley. Walter and May were married a year later in the town.

On the outbreak of war Walter, as a Reservist, volunteered for overseas service, this time enlisting at Hemel Hempstead with the 1st Battalion South Wales Borderers in August 1914. The following month, May gave birth to their daughter and only child Doris at 49 Robert Street in Northampton in the heart of the town’s Boot and Shoe making quarter. Shortly after this happy event, Walter was sent to France.

The 1st Battalion South Wales Borderers in the 3rd Brigade in the 1st Division, had gone to France in August as part of the BEF. Walter disembarked in France on the 10th November 1914 and joined his battalion at Zillebeke in Belgium on the 13th November.

The battalion War Diaries record the arrival and described a logistical dilemma; "13th Nov Zillebeke…draft of 196 men arrived at Bde. H.Q. Impossible to accommodate them in trenches that night so they were sent back to battalion ammunition reserve park about 1 Mile E. of YPRES". The draft of men finally joined their comrades the next day at 5 p.m.

Walter saw action at the First Battle of Ypres and the Winter Operations of 1914-15. In 1915 he fought at the Battle of Aubers before taking part in the Battle of Loos. On the 26th September Walter was with his Battalion at Hulluch 3 miles east of Vermelles preparing to attack the enemy trenches.

The Battalion’s War Diaries recorded the attack: "September 26th HULLUCH FIRING LINE…..The order for attack was SWB (South Wales Borderers) on the left, The R.H. in the centre and WELCH REGT on the right. The instant the leading platoons left the forward trenches, they were badly held up by machine guns in the houses and the Brigadier gave orders to “stand fast” – The R.H. were also held up, while the Welch reached the enemy’s line but were driven off. We lost 8 officers and 105 men"

Walter was one of the men who died in the assault on the 26th September 1915.

He is commemorated on the Abington Square War Memorial in Northampton, less than half a mile from where he and May had lived with daughter Doris. May sadly died in 1921.

Walter is Remembered with Honour at the Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais, France on Panel 52.

He was 31 years old when he died.

Walter was eligible for the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Allied Victory Medal.