SKEEMER, Walter Arthur



No.34708, Corporal, Walter Arthur SKEEMER
Aged 36
no medal card found
"D" Battery, 182nd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery
formerly 4608 Suffolk Regiment
Died on Tuesday, 14th December 1915


Walter Arthur Skeemer was born in Cavendish (Sudbury Q1-1880 4A:573), son of Thomas and Jane SKEEMER (née DEEKS). He is Arthur Walter SKEMER on CWGC, and Walter Arthur SKEMER when he married.

1881 census...Aged 1, he was at Chapel Street, Cavendish with his father Thomas SKEEMER [33] farm labourer born Pentlow, Essex; his mother Jane [29]; brother Charles [9]; sisters Maud [8], Jane [6] and Priscilla [4]. All except his father were born in Cavendish.

1891 census...Aged 11, he was at Church Corner, Peacocks Road, Cavendish with his parents; brothers Charles (farm labourer), Albert [9] and Bertie [6]; sisters Sarah J.S. (Jane) and Rose [2]. The two new siblings were born in Cavendish

1901 census...He had not been found in this census, but 4608 Pte A Skemer, enlisted late May/early June 1897 in 'D' Company, 2nd Battalion Suffolk Regiment in the May 1900. The 2nd Battalion were in India from 1899 to 1901. His parents were at High Street, Cavendish with his brother Bertie (errand boy) and sister Rose.

He married Kate Christiana TAYLOR in 1906 (Paddington Q3-1906) and lived at 183, Cornwall Road, Notting Hill, London. Kate already had a son, Dennis Berthold TAYLOR born 17th November 1905 (Paddington Q4-1905 1A:49) ,

1911 census...Aged 30, a contractor's carman, he was at 9 Stanley Street, Paddington with his wife Kate [32] born Glemsford. Walter is also recorded now as born in Glemsford. With them were their son Dennis Berthold SKEEMER [5](Dennis Berthold TAYLOR) and daughter Mabel SKEEMER [3]. Both children born in Paddington. His parents (now both recorded as born in Pentlow) were at "near the church" Cavendish with his brother Bertie (mat maker) and sister Rose and a niece (un-named) 12 days old, Parentage no recorded, born Cavendish.

Dennis was Dennis Berthold TAYLOR when at Newport Market Army Training School in Westminster,but when at he age of 14 he joined the Army as a musician, he served as Dennis Berthold SKEEMER. He enlisted on 24th November 1919 in the Yorkshire Regiment but his discharge was purchased on 12th August 1920 for £35 and he left to join the Post OPffice at Notting HIll. At that time his mother was at 183 Cornwall Road, Notting Hill.


Although recognised on CWGC records and "Soldiers Personal Effects, no entry has been found on "Soldiers Died" nor is there any medal index card. The "Personal Effects" entry disallowed any war gratuity as he had not served 6 months which may account for no medal award. it does beg the question how he became a Corporal though that must have been due to his previous Army career. The Haverhill Echo of 19th May 1900 also has on a list of those serving the Queen and Country, from Cavendish, one Walter Skeemer..Suffolks. With no medals (The Great War you had to have served in a war zone for any medal) it suggests he was taken ill and died before he could be drafted overseas. Being in the Army in 1897, he would not have been a reservist after 1909 and therefore not liable for immediate call up in August 1914
His death was registered in Kensington (Kensington Q2-1915 1A:216)


Walter Skeemer is buried in Kensal Green (All Souls) Cemetery, 213-7-8. (Screen Wall.)
The screen wall records the names of those whose graves could not be individually marked.

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details


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