15522 Private Walter Clayton Calverley
8th(Service)Battalion
Devonshire Regiment
1st July 1916
Born on 14/08/1894 in Littleborough Lancashire. He was baptised on 30/09/1894.
His parents were Robert Calverley(born in 1862) and Mary Clayton(06/11/1859-1955). They were married in 1892.
Walter had 2 half sisters;Beatrice Ann(1883-1955) and
Jane Elizabeth(born in 1887). Mary wasn't married when the girls were born so the fathers names are not known at present.
In the 1901 census the family were recorded as living at
116 Todmorden Road, Littleborough. Robert was employed as a fireman at a cotton mill.
By the 1911 census,the family had moved to
2 Oak Terrace Summit, Littleborough. Robert was a
stationary engineman in a cotton mill and
Walter was a cotton weaver.
He enlisted in Rochdale in January 1915 and his date of disembarkation into France was on 21/12/1915.
He was killed in action on 01/07/1916.
He was awarded the 1914-1915 Star,
the 1914-1918 British War and Allied Victory medals.
Details of his death were recorded in the local newspaper;
Rochdale Observer Wednesday 26 July 1916- "Private Walter Calverley killed. Official intimation has now been received by Mr and Mrs Calverley of 2 Oak Terrace Summit, Littleborough, that their son Private Walter Calverley of the Devons was killed in action on July 1st.Private Calverley was 22 years of age and enlisted in January 1915 previously working for Messrs. Fothergill and Harvey. He was secretary of the Summit Primitive Methodist Sunday School and a member of the church choir".
Tributes to him also appeared in the newspaper later the same week;
Rochdale Observer Saturday 29 July 1916-" Calverley - To the sweet memory of Private Walter Calverley (8th Devons) killed in action in France on the 1st inst., aged 22 years, the beloved son of Robert and Mary Calverley ,2 Oak Terrace, Littleborough.
Some day , some time our eyes shall see
The face we loved so well,
Some day our hands shall clasp in his
And never bid farewell.
One more to make the strange beyond seems fair.
From his Father, Mother ,Sister, and Mr and Mrs Leach.
I have often thought of the days gone by
When we were both together
But a shadow o'er my life is cast,
A loved one gone for ever.
From his Chum Harry ("Somewhere in France")".