Private William Thompson Walters, 7th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers died on 27th August 1918, aged 20. Born in Solihull on 15th November 1897, he was the second of the five children of parents George Alfred Walters and Alice Robbins (née Thompson) who had married at St Alphege Church, Solihull in 1894. The couple had two sons and three daughters.
George was a newspaper reporter from Birmingham whilst Alice was born in Solihull. She became a confectioner and newsagent, running a shop on Solihull High Street. Initially, the couple set up home in School Lane, Solihull, moving to the High Street sometime between 1901-1905.
Their eldest child, Florence Alice, died in 1902 at City Hospital, Birmingham, aged six. The other siblings were Kathleen Mary (born 1905), Dennis George (1910-1995) and Margaret Nancy (born 1912).
William attended nearby Solihull Grammar School from 1910-1913 but we don’t know what occupation he took up after leaving school or when he joined the Army.
He was killed in action on 27th August 1918 and has no known grave. He is commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial in France as well as locally at Solihull School and on Solihull war memorial.
If you have any further information, please let us know.
Tracey
Heritage & Local Studies Libarian
tel.: 0121 704 6977
email: heritage@solihull.gov.uk
Solihull Life 
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