No. 204282, Rifleman, Walter ARGENT
Aged 24
Rifle Brigade
Firstly No 1229 Suffolk Regiment
and later No.361965, Labour Corps
Died of his Wounds on Saturday 5th July 1919
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Born in Newmarket in Q1-1895 [Newmarket 3b:542]to William Daniel and Eliza Jane ARGENT (née BRADBROOK) of 3 Fern Cottages, Exning Road,
Newmarket. 1901 census...At 3 Fern Cottages, Exning Road, Newmarket were Walter [6]; his father William D.[38], a labourer born in Newmarket; his mother Eliza J [31], born Fakenham, Norfolk; his sisters Annie [8], Lily B. [3] and Gladys M.[2] with brother Sidney [11 months]. All the children were Newmarket born. 1911 census...Still at 3 Fern Cottages were the same family plus Walter's new siblings, sisters Ada [9]; Eliza [6]; Phylis [3] and Hilda [2], also brother Harry [5]. In addition an elder brother William John [17] is entered but he was not there in 1901 and is crossed out on the census form. There is recorded Stanley William [10 months] also crossed out and noted "Dead". Walter and brother William were warehouse porters in 1911. The pension card has his mother in 1919 moved to 3 Bath Villas, Mill Hill, Newmarket |
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The Newmarket Journal of 4th September 1915 recorded a letter he had sent to his mother, from the 5th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment in Gallipoli.
He explained that some details of what he had experienced
were too dreadful to describe - " They were cut up," he said,"About two officers were left and about 100 men returned
to base. I went up in the first line and was shot through the leg. I am now waiting on the shore base for the hospital ship.This is where some of the shirkers
should be, to have a pop at the Turks. it is these we are fighting for and giving our lives.". On 8th April 1916 he was transferred to the Rifle Brigade. In January 1918 he received a head wound and was invalided home in October 1918. This was presumably when he was transferred to the Labour Corps. His medal index card has no mention of the Rifle Brigade, only CWGC have that, and they have his parents at 3 Bath Villas, Newmarket. He died in Cambridge Hospital. Walter was the Uncle of Sidney Argent, killed in WW2.. see here It seems quite likely that Walter Argent , Frank Stacey , John Glyde ,and Fred Challice all arrived together to Gallipoli on 10th August 1915. "H" company of the 5th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment consisted 83 Newmarket and 25 Mildenhall men. |
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