BATCHELOR, WALTER
Rank:
Service No:
Date of Death:
Age:
Regiment/Service:
Grave Reference:
Text on stone:
Rank:
Service No:
Date of Death:
Age:
Regiment/Service:
Grave Reference:
Text on stone:
Lance corporal
4915269
17/09/1944
23
Royal Armoured Corps “C” Sqn. 15th/19th The King’s Royal Hussars
II. A. 17.
Time cannot dim sweet memories of those years of beauty and love
Additional Information:
Son of Walter and Phoebe Batchelor; husband of Gladys Batchelor, of Rushden, Northamptonshire.
Walter Batchelor was born in march 1921. During the war he served as a crewmember of an tank from the 15th/19th Kings Royal Hussars. On the 17th of September 1944 his tank was part of an operation called “Market Garden”. The 15th/19th Kings Royal Hussars were clearing the flanks for the Irish Guards during their race to reach Arnhem. Next to the road from Lommel, Belgium, toward Valkenswaard, Walter Batchelor his tank drove on two mines at the same time. Walter was the only crewmember of the tank that was killed.
Walter fought all the way through Normandy and just became a father of a daughter which he would never meet.
From the service records of Walter Bachelor, the following account can be reconstructed.
Walter Bachelor was born on 10 January 1921 in Wednesbury, Staffordshire. In civilian life he worked as a mill hand and roller. He first applied for military service on 6 October 1938 but was not immediately accepted, as he was under the required age. He subsequently joined the Territorial Army with the South Staffordshire Regiment on 18 February 1938.
On 10 January 1939 (his 18th birthday) he enlisted in the Cavalry of the Line and was transferred to the Royal Armoured Corps on 11 April 1939, where he served as a tank driver.
Walter Bachelor served with the British Expeditionary Force in France from 2 October 1939 until 31 May 1940 and was evacuated from Dunkirk. He later embarked for service in North West Europe on 14 August 1944.
He married Gladys Hulart on 24 January 1942. The couple had one child.
According to his service records, he was 5 feet 5½ inches tall, with brown hair and blue eyes.
Walter Bachelor was killed in action on 17 September 1944.
Mariage of Walter Batchelor.
Medals of Walter Batchelor.
Cap badge and dogtag of Walter Batchelor.
Medals of Walter Batchelor.
Bad news letter about the death of Walter Batchelor
Cap badge and dogtag of Walter Batchelor.
Walter Batchelor Sr.