Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Joseph Fantom, a wagon works blacksmith, born 1857 in Oldbury, Worcestershire and his wife Mary Fantom, born 1861 in Coalville, Leicestershire. Walter was born in the 3rd quarter of 1897 in Coalville, his siblings were, William, a wagon works furnace man, born 1886, Arthur, born 1889, Maggie, born 1890, Nellie, born 1893, Ada, born 1895 and Florrie, born 1896, all his siblings were born in Coalville, in March 1901 the family home was at Margaret Street, Coalville. In April 1911 Walter was employed as a blacksmith’s striker and was residing in the family home at 3, Margaret Street, Coalville, together with his father, a blacksmith, his mother and siblings, Maggie, a charwoman, Nellie, a domestic servant, Ada, a domestic servant, Florrie, a mother’s help and Joseph, born 1903 in Coalville. Walter was awarded the British War and Victory medals.
The War Diary records: 14 Oct-18 – AUBY. 05.15. Battalion attacked AUBY in conjunction with 1st WORCESTERSHIRE REGIMENT (8th Division) on the right. Assembly was carried out successfully by Captain BOWERS in spite of harassing fire from Machine Guns. Order of assembly and attack:-
“D” Company (Captain HARDING-NEWMAN).
“A” Company (Captain TEBBUTT).
“C” Company (Captain HOLLIS).
“B” Company (2nd Lieutenant HOOLE).
Attack went well and bank of LA HAUTE DEULE CANAL made good from Q.26.a.2.0 to Q.26.a.8.6. About 45 prisoners and eight Machine Guns were captured. Unfortunately 1st WORCESTERSHIRE REGIMENT did not clear the village on the right and fell back to a line with their left flank resting at Q.31.d.5.5 leaving the right of the Battalion exposed to the enemy who were in considerable strength in the Eastern end of the village.
12.30. In view of the position on the right the line of resistance was withdrawn to the light railway running through Q.31.a and b and a defensive flank formed to join up with Battalion on the right. Very heavy hostile artillery fire throughout the afternoon and evening. The formation adopted for the attack answered very well – the new Companies kept close up and escaped the hostile barrage. The formation also enabled “D” Company on the left to open a heavy covering fire from rifles and Light Guns on emerging through the southern part of the village which continually assisted the advance of “C” and “B” Companies.
Casualties:-
2nd Lieutenant H. WILKIN. Wounded.
2nd Lieutenant R. A. ROBINSON. Wounded.
Lieutenant J. B. BOWDITCH. Wounded. (1/1st HUNTINGDON CYCLISTS).
2nd Lieutenant G. W. LINSEY. Wounded.
Other Ranks. killed 8, wounded 45, missing 1.
Reinforcements:-
Lieutenant J. A. HARDMAN.
Lieutenant G. O. WALLIS-PALMER.
Lieutenant G. F. STEWARD. (SUFFOLK REGIMENT).
Lieutenant F. J. HARVEY. (SUFFOLK REGIMENT).
2nd Lieutenant A. H. H. SYKES. (SUFFOLK REGIMENT).
2nd Lieutenant J. G. HANNAN. (1/1st HUNTINGDON CYCLISTS).
2nd Lieutenant A. F. WILKINS.
2nd Lieutenant J. F. SUTTLE.
Other Ranks, 7.

Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Coalville Times article - Friday October 25th, 1918

LOCAL CASUALTIES

Mr and Mrs Joseph Fantom, of 3, Margaret Street, Coalville, on Monday received the official news that their third son, Private Walter Fantom, of the Cambridgeshire Regiment, was killed in action on October 14th. He went to France on his 21st birthday, and has been there nine weeks, having previously been employed at Messrs. Stableford’s Works, Coalville, as a blacksmith’s striker. His brother is a well-known member of the Coalville Town Football Club.

Coalville Times article - Friday February 14th, 1919

PROPOSED MEMORIAL AND THANKSGIVING FUND

Meetings are being held throughout the Ashby Wesleyan Circuit, to consider the inauguration of a war memorial and thanksgiving fund, and there was a gathering for this purpose in the Coalville Wesleyan Chapel on Saturday night, when Mr C. H. March presided over a fairly good attendance.

The details of the scheme are set forth in a circular which is being issued, and of which the following is a copy.

“To celebrate the end of the ‘great war’ and the coming of ‘peace’ the quarterly meeting of the Circuit decided by a unanimous vote to inaugurate a great ‘Memorial and Thanksgiving Fund.’ The nation in the hours of danger has not counted any sacrifice of blood or treasure too great to hasten the time when all that we hold dear should be made secure from an unscrupulous foe. That end has been achieved. The victory is ours. In token of our gratitude to Almighty God, we desire to raise this ‘Memorial and Thanksgiving Fund’ to enable the churches in this Circuit more efficiently to carry on, and extend the Kingdom of God. We suggest that contributions may be given as a thank-offering for loved ones spared, or in memory of dear ones who have laid down their lives for us. There are also large numbers in the Circuit, who, because of the importance of their work, have escaped the horrors of the battlefield, and will be able to give substantially in thankful recognition of their privileges. Everyone, indeed, has received great blessing through the ministry of our church, and the debt we owe to our beloved Methodism is greater than we can tell. Therefore, we earnestly appeal to all our people to give hearty and generous support to the ‘Memorial and Thanksgiving Fund’. The first claim upon the income of the fund will be the clearing of the debt upon the Circuit houses, which amounts to £1,000, thus saving £44 per year in interest. The remainder of the income will be held at the disposal of the Circuit quarterly meeting for the benefit of the work of God in the Circuit. – William Hooper, William H. Wardle, B.A., and William Solomon (ministers), J. P. Adcock, J. P. (treasurer); W. J. Plowright and C. H. March (secretaries).”

During the meeting, Mr T. Frith read the Roll of Honour, which contained 99 names formerly connected with the church and Sunday School. Two have won the D.C.M. – Harry Beard and Edwin Collier – and four the Military Medal, these being Tom Palmer, Tom Wood, George Wildgoose and Walter Lewis.

Twenty had made the supreme sacrifice – Cecil A. Bradshaw, Ernest Batho, Geo. Beale, Sydney Dodds, Walter Fantom, John Hall, Horace Hall, Jess Jones, Wilfred Jones, Fred Hart, Arthur Johnson, Walter Lewis, M.M., Harry Lewis, William Setchell, Sam Smith, Tom Usherwood, Willie Wells, Alf Wood, Albert Essex and Tom Wild.

Research undertaken and submitted by Andy Murby 14/6/2018