BORN EAST HULL 07/06/1888. SON OF GEORGE HAMLIN WALTHAM (1854-1935) & ELLEN ELIZA WALTHAM (1858-1918), OF 3 HAROLD STREET, SELBY. HE HAD ONE BROTHER AND SEVEN SISTERS. EDUCATED AT BUCKINGHAM STREET SCHOOL, HULL. WAS A BOILER MAKER AND SHIP YARD PLATER.
HE MARRIED HARRIET CASS, IN 1911 AT THE SELBY CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. THEY HAD ONE SON, WILLIAM, BORN 31/01/1912 AND LIVED AT STAYNOR HOUSE, DENNISON ROAD, SELBY (WAR PENSION ADDRESS).
ENLISTED IN THE 2ND COLDSTREAM GUARDS, ON 17/11/1905. SERVED THREE YEARS WITH THE COLOURS. WENT TO FRANCE ON 10/08/1914. DIED OF WOUNDS, RECEIVED AT THE FIRST BATTLE OF YPRES, ON 09/11/1914. HE WAS BURIED IN THE NORTH WEST CORNER OF THE FIELD, EAST OF CHATEAU. HE WAS AGED 26. LEFT A WIDOW AND YOUNG SON ALSO CALLED WILLIAM ERNEST WALTHAM (BORN 31/01/1912)
HIS DEATH IS RECORDED IN THE DE RUVIGNY ROLL OF HONOUR, VOLUME 1, WITH HIS PHOTOGRAPH. *
HE IS BURIED AT RAILWAY CHATEAU CEMETERY, WEST-VLAANDEREN, BELGIUM. HIS GRAVE INSCRIPTION, READS, “MAY HIS REWARD BE AS GREAT AS HIS SACRIFICE NOT GOODBYE BUT GOODNIGHT.”
