BORN HULL 1883. SON OF THOMAS WILLIAM HATCH, of 5 CEDAR GROVE, ARUNDEL STREET, HULL.
HE MARRIED GERTRUDE ROCKETT PEEL (1884-1969), AT NEWINGTON CHURCH ON 04/10/1903. HIS WIFE, GERTRUDE HATCH, LIVED AT 6 EDWARDS TERRACE, MASSEY STREET, HESSLE ROAD, HULL (CWGC ADDRESS).
WHEN HE ENLISTED. THEY HAD SIX SONS & TWO DAUGHTERS. IN 1911, WALTER WAS LIVING AT 1 POPLAR GROVE, WOODCOCK STREET AND WORKING AS A GENERAL LABOURER.
HE ENLISTED IN HULL, ON 05/10/1914, AGED 31 YEARS AND 4 MONTHS. HE JOINED THE 12TH EYR OR (3RD ‘HULL PALS’) BATTALLION. HIS ARMY MEDICAL RECORDS DESCRIBE HIM AS 5 FOOT 4 INCHES TALL, A 36.5 INCH CHEST, WEIGHT: 126 LBS, BROWN EYES, LIGHT BROWN HAIR AND FAIR COMPLEXION. HE ARRIVED IN FRANCE, ON 15/12/1915. WOUNDED ON 28/05/1916 AND INVALIDED BACK TO ENGLAND, ON 09/06/1916. WALTER HATCH WAS REPORTED WOUNDED IN THE HULL DAILY MAIL WITH HIS PHOTOGRAPH ON 9TH JUNE 1916.* HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE 6TH EYR, ON 27/01/1917 IN FRANCE AND WAS WOUNDED BY GUN SHOT, IN THE FACE AND SPINE. HE DIED THE FOLLOWING DAY AT THE MILITARY HOSPITAL IN ETAPLES, AGED 34. HIS PERSONAL EFFECTS WERE RETURNED TO HIS WIDOW WITH A SMALL ARMY PENSION. BURIED: ETAPLES MILITARY CEMETERY, FRANCE.
HE IS COMMEMORATED ON ST JOHN THE BAPTIST CHURCH MEMORIAL, NEWINGTON, HULL.
