Walter Heal was born on 18 January 1893 in Hoxton, the seventh of the eight children of Thomas Heal (1848-1937) and Priscilla Heal née Colevill (1854-1933). His birth was registered in the 1st quarter of 1893 in the Shoreditch registration district. His father was a wheelwright.
On 24 January 1898 he was admitted into the Church Street Temporary School and the school register shows the family were living at 44 Murray Street, Hoxton. He was moved to their Mixed Dept on 29 June 1900.
The 1901 census confirmed that he was still living at 44 Murray Street, with his parents and six of his siblings.
The 1911 census shows that he was a warehouseman for a silk cravat manufacturer, residing still at 44 Murray Street with his parents and four of his siblings.
He enlisted as a Rifleman in 2nd/21st (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (First Surrey Rifles), service number 5962, at Bunhill Row and entered France on 25 June 1916 where he was killed in action, aged 23 years, on 17 July 1916 and was buried in Plot 2, Row E, Grave 2, in the Louez Military Cemetery, 62161 Duisans, France.
By October 1916 his mother was sent his army effects totalling £2-7s-1d and on 13 August 1919 his £3-0s-0d war gratuity. He was posthumously awarded the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal and these were sent to his parents address at 12 Dames Road, Forest Gate.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
