Ireland, Walter James

BORN HULL 1897. ONLY SON OF JAMES IRELAND (1865-1904) AND ANNIE ELIZA RUSTON (1862-1911). HE HAD ONE SISTER. A TAILOR’S ERRAND BOY. HE  BOARDED WITH HIS STEP BROTHER AND SISTER, AT 60 WYNBURH STREET, NEW BRIDGE ROAD, HULL. (1911 CENSUS). HE ENLISTED IN HULL. SERVED WITH THE EAST YORKSHIRE AND WEST YORKSHIRE REGIMENTS. WAS KILLED IN ACTION, ON 27/05/1918, AGED 21. HE IS COMMEMORATED ON THE SOISSONS MEMORIAL.

HE LEFT £48 IN HIS WILL TO HIS STEP BROTHER, CHARLES EDWARD SHERWOOD RUSTON, A BRICKLAYER, AT 87 BEETON STREET, HULL. HIS ARMY EFFECTS WERE LEFT JOINTLY TO CHARLES AND SISTER, FLORENCE RUSTON.

(Private; Medal Awarded: British War Medal and Victory Medal; Regiment or Corps: Alexandra, Princess of Wales’s Own Yorkshire Regiment; Regimental Number: 24751; Previous Units: 13/York. R. 24751. Pte, 13/York. R. 24751, 4/York. R. 24751.)

1/4^th East Yorkshire Battalion War Diary – 27^th May 1918

When the storm of gas and High Explosive shells broke over the 50^th Division, at 1am, on 27 May 1918, the 1/4^th East Yorkshire Regiment of the 150^th Brigade (the left Battalion, of the left Brigade of the Division) were disposed as follows: “A” Company held the front line,  “B” Company was in close support in Trench Falais (in CRONNE, at the disposal of the 5^th Green Howards (on the right of the 1/4^th EYR), “D” Company was in support in Marais. For two and half hours the Tornado swept the whole divisional area, causing many casualties and practically destroying the Trenches. The 1/4^th EYR was completely disorganised and rear guard actions were fought back to the River Aisne and the Bridge at Maizy, “the number which succeeded in crossing being very small.” Total strength of the 1/4^th EYR was 4 Officers and 105 Other Ranks, out of 30 Officers and 642 Other Ranks, which began, before the attack. The Battle continued until 6^th June 1918, but the 1/4^th  EYR took no further part after the 27^th May and retired to Vert La Gravelle.