NEWS ITEM in Jersey Evening Post of Tuesday 31 August 1915

The Late Rifleman Walmsley. Mr & Mrs Walmsley of Roslynn Cottage, St Saviours Hill whose son Rifleman W A Walmsley of the 1st Kings Royal Rifles was recently killed in France have received the following letter from two of their gallant son's comrades. The first intimation stated that the lad who was only 18 was wounded but later unofficial letters brought the sad news that the Rifleman had been killed. The letter is as follows:

"Wednesday 13 July. Having a few particulars regarding Walter we thought they would probably be welcome to you. We were closely connected while at Sheerness and we went out together on 28 November but on our draft's arrival at Havre we were separated, Walter being left behind, but he joined the Battalion while they were on a few days rest at a place called Honges, sometime about 31 January or 1 February. His first and unfortunately only spell was at Givenchy where we relieved the 2nd Battalion South Wales Borderers on 3 February. We were in those trenches until 11 March, Walter was drafted to No 12 Platoon C Company, we were in 9 Platoon C Company and consequently saw a good deal of him. The Battalion was ordered to charge there on 10 March in order, as we afterwards learned, to keep the Germans to our front while the (what has been thought of in this Country) more serious work was done at Neuve Chapelle. C Company was ordered to attack first at 8 o'clock in the morning and Walter being what is known as a bomb-thrower was in the first line. He was shot through the head while endeavouring to get through the barbed wire in front of the German line. The Battalion suffered heavily there losing upwards of 430 officers and men and nothing at the end of the day to show for it. Walter was always a thoroughly clean, smart, keen and self-respecting soldier, he was entirely free from crime or punishment of any description while in the service and he was liked and thoroughly respected by all who came in contact with him. We have written these lines to express to you our deepest sympathy, the work which he undertook was more than dangerous and those who undertook it were all volunteers for it. He died as we have always found him, a soldier and a man with his face to the German lines. Written by two of his chums who would like to know if this letter reaches you as we did not know of Walter's home address.

RIFLEMAN W BEST AND LANCE CORPORAL L REEVE".