The soldier Walter

WALTER  ROBERTS’  STORY  AS  TOLD  BY  DIANE MARIE GASSMAN

On the 21st March, 2017, we took a school trip together with classes from the city of Lugo in Emilia Romagna to Nervesa della Battaglia, the territory covered by the WWI flying ace Francesco Baracca, and on that occasion we also visited the British Cemetery in Giavera del Montello.

We left a bouquet of flowers on a soldier’s tomb because the inscription on his tombstone from his mother requested that flowers be left to her son, a fallen soldier from the “War to end all wars”:

“May some loving hand gently place some flowers for me, his mother”

Well, after a few days, Diane Marie Gassman contacted the school wishing to meet the students who had made this nice gesture.  She also, the first time she noticed the tombstone, was touched by the inscription and continues to visit and bring flowers herself.

On the 24th April, 2017, Diane came to visit and tell us Walter’s story which she had learned through her contact with Clive Jones, Walter’s nephew, who lives in Rhyl, on the coast of North Wales.  During this visit we wrote letters to Clive explaining our interest in his Uncle’s story, and we hope to remain in contact through his response.

Before contacting Clive, Diane wrote to …….His Majesty – Prince Harry and received a response from his secretary, but in the meantime, with the assistance of the Rhyl History Club, she was able to contact Walter’s nephew who had learned about his Uncle Walter from his Grandmother – that he had signed up for duty in WWI and that he died at the age of 23 on 26th October, 1918. 

Clive and his wife Audrey come to Italy and brought photos of young Walter, his parents, and his youngest sister, Clive’s mother – along with other documents.

From the copies of the documents that Diane left us we now understand that his full name was Walter Price Roberts and that he was born in Rhyl in 1895, son of Edward and Ellen Roberts.  He had four sisters and two brothers (but at least 2 other siblings died young).  He was a handsome young man, athletic and sporting.  Before the war he was an apprentice shoemaker and played football.  Walter voluntarily signed up for duty on 12th August, 2014, was promoted to Corporal and then to Sergeant.  He was a part of the 1° Battalion Fusiliers.  The troops of the Commonwealth were present on the Italian Front from November ’17 to November ’18.  He died of the Spanish Flu which during 1918 took the lives of between 50 and 100 million people (which represented from 3 – 5% of the population at that time in history).  The high cost of lives renders it one of the gravest epidemics in the history of mankind.

It is heart breaking to know that Walter died just a few days before the end of the war and even more so after reading the letter he wrote on 26th August, 1918, to his sister Mona.

“My dear sister, I hope I am not too late to send you best wishes for your birthday. I am sorry that I cannot send a card, as I was not able to buy anything, but when I return home I will bring a gift for you and Jeff, but this will not be for a few more months.  Dearest, I want you and Jeff to take care of Mother, to be good and do everything Mother asks you to.  Be good children.  I send you many kisses Mona, my dear, and you and Jeff must send me a letter when you have the time, telling me what you are doing and how school is going.  All my love to you, little sister, and to Jeff, Ether, and Jenni.  Give my best also to Mother and Father.

All my love and many kisses – your brother Walter”

A heartfelt thank you to Diane for this vivid in-depth testimony.

Special regards to Clive and his wife Audrey.

From the Class 3C Spallanzani School – Mestre (Venice) Italy