LEATHERHEAD WAR MEMORIALS - WWI
Sergeant Walter Henry Channell
173rd Coy. Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)
Town Memorial P2.R2.C2.
Taken, Not Given
SergtWalter Channell
Machine Gun Corps
Armentières
Aug 6 1917
The death of Walter Channell was announced in the September 1917 issue
of the Parish magazine, which stated that his second Christian name was
Henry. Additionally the report stated he was serving with the 173rd
Company Machine Gun Corps. (1)
From April 1917 until May 1918 173 Coy MG Corps was part of the 57th
Infantry Division.
The War Diary of the Company (2) states its location as being in the
ARMENTIÈRES DEFENCES, and gives the following account of the situation:
–
1st August 1917 Strength 10 Officers and 129 ORs
Quiet day. 3 ORs wounded (Gas)
Gas still in vicinity
2nd August 1917 All quiet in Armentières. 3 ORs wounded (Gas)
3rd August 1917 Quiet day – Enemy commenced heavy bombardment with gas
and HE
4th August 1917 Enemy shelling continued until 2 a.m.
26 OR reinforcements arrived
On 5th August, the attachment of infantry is noted, as it is again on
the 6th, the date of Walter Channel's death. The reason for the infantry
attachment to Brigade was to act as guides.
The diary states that it was a quiet day “except for shelling“ and that
"1 OR killed". Presumably he was Walter Channell.
Notes on sources
1. Parish magazine of St Mary and Saint Nicolas Leatherhead
2. File WO95–2974 War Diary of 173 Company Machine Gun Corps, Public
Record Office, Kew, Richmond
NB The attribution of MG Corps units and their respective War Diary
references are contained in file WO95–5494 at the Public Record Office.
Stop Press
Soldiers Who Died in the Great War - Machine Gun Corps, at The Imperial
War Museum Lambeth, gives born: Leatherhead, enlisted: Cranleigh
(Leatherhead) [but see * below]
Previously number 6137 Queens Regiment
Died of wounds
Further research
Corporal
CHANNELL, WALTER HENRY
Service Number 57173
Died 06/08/1917
Aged 34
173rd Coy.
Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)
Son of Alfred and Elizabeth Channell, of Ewell, Surrey; husband of Martha Cavanagh (formerly Channell), of 471, Marjorie St., St. James, Winnipeg, Canada.
INSCRIPTION
GONE TO HIS REST OUR GOD KNEW BEST
Buried at ESTAIRES COMMUNAL CEMETERY AND EXTENSION
Location: Nord, France
As he lived for much of his life in Ewell he has been thoroughly researched by local historians (Epsom & Ewell Explorer):
Walter was initially No. 6137 West Surrey regiment, but at some time transferred as No. 57173, to the 173rd Machine Gun Corps (Infantry). The 173rd company MGC became part of the 57th Division on 31 March 1917. The first major offensive the division fought in was the Second Battle of Passchendaele, a phase of the Third Battle of Ypres, between 26 October and 10 November 1917. However, Walter had died of wounds on 6 August 1917, probably from shellfire.
Leatherhead Parish Magazine September 1917
Aug. 6. Sergt. Walter Henry Channell, 173rd Coy. Machine Gun Corps, killed in action.
His WWI Pension Record Card records his widow Mrs Martha Channell, Birth Date 26 Oct 1877, residing in Leatherhead, Surrey (no address shown), and that they had a child Walter Murrey Channell.
*(Soldiers Died in the Great War entry in fact gives his place of birth as Worcester Park, not Leatherehad (which is given as place of residence)
His life
Walter Henry Channell was born on 27 September 1882 in Worcester Park, Surrey and baptised on 26 November 1882 at St Philip's, Cheam Common.
His father was Alfred Channell, born 26 March 1848 in Ewell, Surrey, died June 1921: his mother was Elizabeth Channell (née Hardy) born 1852 in Chapney, Dorset.
His parents were married on 20 April 1875 in St. Mary’s Church, Ewell. His father was a coachman.
In the 1881 census, just before Walter was born, the family was living in Longfellow Road, Cheam. As well as Walter there was Alfred George (4), William Charles (2) and Elizabeth (8mo).
Walter went to Ewell Boys’ School and was a member of the Old Boys’ Association. He is listed on their War Memorial which is now at Bourne Hall, Ewell.
In the 1891 Census the family were ‘Old Brickfield’, Ewell, his father was described as a General Labourer.
In the 1901 Census Walter was working as a domestic gardener, and boarding with an older gardener and his wife at Dunsfold Cottages, Dunsfold, Surrey. His parents still lived at ‘Old Brickfield’, in Ewell. His brother William had become an Insurance Agent.
On 4 March 1905 Walter married Martha Murrey at St Peters Walton-on-the-Hill, where she was born. In 1909 they had a son, Walter Murray/Murrey Channell, registered in the Epsom Registration District.
In the 1908 and 1909 Electoral Registers Walter was listed living in a cottage at Priest Hill Farm.
By the 1911 Census, the family (now including young Walter Murrey) was living, along with two boarders, both gardeners, at 11, Meadow Walk, Ewell, Surrey. Walter was working as a gardener, possibly at the Horton Asylum. The family was still at 11 Meadow Walk in the 1915 Electoral Register.
The Epsom Advertiser
17 August 1917
EWELL PARISH COUNCIL. It was decided to send a letter of condolence to the relatives of Walter Channell, who had died of wounds received in action. He was formerly a member of the Ewell Fire Brigade. He is listed in the Firefighters Memorial Book of Remembrance.
He is remembered in the book of the Record of Service of London
County Council Staff 1914-1918, page
197 where he is shown as working at Horton Mental Hospital.
He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. He is
recorded as William (not Walter) on St. Mary’s Ewell memorial, and some
sources show his rank as Sergeant whilst the CWGC show him as Corporal.
His pension record says Lance Sergeant (Corporal).
Walter’s widow Martha subsequently re-married, to James Cavanagh on 10th
January 1919, at St Giles, Ashtead, Surrey. James is described as
'Soldier'. They, with young Walter Murrey Channell, emigrated to 471
Marjorie Street, St James, Winnipeg, Canada.
On 2nd June 1929, they were in the Passenger List of the Canadian
Pacific S/S METAGAMA, arriving at Liverpool:
James Cavanagh, a Carpenter aged 49
Martha Cavanagh, a Housewife age 49
Walter M Channell, a Clerk aged 20
Their destination was 49 Poplar Road, Leatherhead.
What of a Leatherhead connection?
Walter was a Ewell lad. It appears that at the time of his enlistment he lived in Leatherhead although he had been working in the Ewell/Epsom area and been a member of the Ewell Fire Brigade. We know his widow travelled to Leatherhead in 1929 and that he is on three Leatherhead Memorials.
The presumption is that he moved to Leatherhead from Ewell not long before before enlisting and that, perhaps together with his death bring recorded in the Parish Magazine, goes some way towards being sufficient for those who decided which names appeared on the Town Memorial.
It might be useful to establish why 49 Poplar Road, Leatherhead was the destination when Walter's widow Martha returned/visited in 1929.
Walter is listed on these memorials:Leatherhead Town Memorial
St Mary's Churchyard, Ewell
Leatherhead Parish Church Ladies War Shrine
Leatherhead Parish Church, Leatherhead RBL Roll of Honour
Ewell Boys School
Record of Service of London County Council Staff 1914-1918 see p197
Firefighters Memorial - Book of Remembrance
Links
Machine Gun Corpsthe website editor would like to add
further information on this casualty
e.g. a photo of him, his headstone, and of any recollections of him
last updated 5 Jun 20