Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of John Henry Barnard, a farm labourer, born 1862 in Elton, Huntingdonshire and his wife Mary Waite Barnard (nee Flint, married in the 3rd quarter of 1888 in the Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire district), born 1863 in Frisby on the Wreake, Leicestershire. Walter was born in the 1st quarter of 1890 in Elton, in April 1891 the family home was at Station Road, Warmington, Huntingdonshire. In March 1901 Walter was a schoolboy and was residing in the family home at Jelleys Yard, Middle Street, Elton, together with his father, a gardener and his mother. In April 1911 Walter was absent from the family home at Jelleys Yard, Middle Street, Elton, residing there was his father, a domestic gardener, his mother and brother David Henry, born 1907 in Elton, Walter was employed as a domestic gardener and was residing as a boarder at The Gardeners Lodge, Weston Road, Aston on Trent, Derbyshire.
Walter attested into the Army on a Short Service engagement (Three years with the Colours.) on the 9th September 1914 in Oakham. He gave his place of birth as Elton, Peterborough, Northamptonshire, his age as 24 years and 190 days and his trade or calling as gardener at Knossington Gardens. He confirmed that he was unmarried. He gave his father John H. Barnard, his mother Mary W. Barnard and brother David all of Elton, Near Peterborough as his next of kin. His medical examination recorded that he was 5 foot 10½ inches in height and he had a chest measurement of between 32¾ to 35 inches. His complexion was described as fresh, his hair colour was brown and he had brown eyes, he gave his religion as Church of England. He was pronounced fit for the Army on the 9th September 1914 in Oakham. His record of service began when he joined the Depot of the Leicestershire Regiment as a Private, service number 14499 on the 9/9/14. Posted to the 9th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment on the 25/9/14. Embarked to join the British Expeditionary Force in France on the 29/7/15. Admitted to the 48th Field Ambulance, in the field, suffering from a severed tendon on the 31/12/15. Admitted to the 10th General Hospital in Rouen on the 4/1/16. Transferred to England per S.S. Copenhagen on the 15/1/16. Admitted to the 1st Birmingham War Hospital, suffering from a wound to his hand on the 16/1/16. Posted to the Depot on the 16/1/16. Discharged from Hospital on the 2/2/16. Posted to the 11th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment on the 18/2/16. Embarked to join the British Expeditionary Force in France on the 17/5/16. Posted to the 6th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment on the 18/5/16. Joined the 6th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, in the field on the 29/5/16. Admitted to the 64th Field Ambulance, in the field, suffering from P.U.O. (Pyrexia of unknown origin) on the 19/10/16. Transferred to England on the 4/11/16. Posted to the Depot on the 4/11/16. Admitted to Tooting Military Hospital suffering from influenza on the 9/11/16. Discharged from Hospital and posted to the 3rd Battalion Leicestershire Regiment on the 2/1/17. Embarked to join the British Expeditionary Force in France on the 3/3/17. Posted to the 1st Battalion Leicestershire Regiment on the 4/3/17. Posted to the 3rd Entrenching Battalion on the 19/3/17. Posted to the 9th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment on the 6/4/17. Joined the 9th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, in the field on the 17/4/17. Killed in action, in the field on the 3/5/17. A summary of his service records: Home Service, 10/9/14 – 28/7/15, 322 days. British Expeditionary Force, France, 29/7/15 – 15/1/16, 171 days. Home Service, 16/1/16 – 17/5/16, 123 days. British Expeditionary Force, France, 18/5/16 – 3/11/16. 170 days. Home Service, 4/11/16 – 3/3/17, 119 days. British Expeditionary Force, France, 4/3/17 – 3/5/17 60 days. Total service, 2 years 234 days. Walter was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War and Victory medals. The following information was provided by Walter’s mother Mary W. Barnard on the 3rd July 1919, and was witnessed and signed by Gerald A. Bland, of The Priory, Elton, Peterborough on ARMY FORM W. 5080 (Information on deceased soldier’s family) Father of soldier, John H. Barnard. Mother of soldier, Mary W. Barnard. Full blood brother of soldier, David Barnard, age 12. Walter’s surviving service documents are in poor condition, and much of the finer detail relating to the period of time that he spent in the Army, is either illegible or missing, hence the sparse overall description of his military and personal family history.
The War Diary records: 3 May-17 - HINDENBURG LINE. At 5.15am Battalion in position. At 3.45am Battalion moved forward to attack. Heavy enemy barrage opened simultaneously with our own barrage immediately in front of BROWN LINE. Machine gun fire opened at once from right and left flanks and from U.2.a.1.6. Heavy casualties were suffered from enemy barrage Captain F. P. COX killed and 2nd Lt. KING wounded. At 4.00am the attacking troops on the left flank of the Battalion came across Battalion front forcing our troops to the right. A tank advanced down WOOD TRENCH but was forced to return owing to machine gun fire. 2nd Lt. -?-, 2nd Lt. GROOCOCK, Lt. LEAKE, 2nd Lt. BOYD and 2nd Lt. WILLET wounded. At 4.15am the attack was held up on front of FONTAINE trench (running through U.1.b and U.2.a.). At 5.00am The situation obscure. Runners sent forward with messages to Companies but none returned. At 7.00am Lt. WALKER sent forward with 5 other ranks and a Lewis gun to work down WOOD TRENCH (see attached map). Lt PLANT killed and 2nd Lt. CHOYCE wounded. At 7.40am Report received from Lt. WALKER that enemy were holding sunken road in front of FONTAINE WOOD and village in strength. Our men holding a line of shell holes about 50 yards in front of road. Telephone communication was established and Lt WALKER remained in WOOD TRENCH until night of the 3rd/4th May sending much valuable information. At 8.45am Message received from Captain MILBURN that he was holding a trench with 1 officer and 30 other ranks with enemy on both flanks and in front. He was unable to identify his position and could see no troops on either flank. At 11.40am Reports received from Liaison officer with Battalion on our left that Brigade on left had withdrawn. Communication with Brigade HQ extremely difficult wires being continually cut. At 12.00 noon Report received from Brigade HQ that the attack of the 64th Brigade on the right on the HINDENBURG LINE had made no progress. Continual machine gun fire and sniping made communications by runner impossible. At 5.30pm Message received from Lt. SCOTT (Officer Commanding “A” Company) via runner L/Cpl. Lattet, this runner had been 4 hours getting to the HQ as he had to run from shell hole to shell hole owing to enemy fire. Message stated that Lt. SCOTT was at U.2.a.1.6. with 2 other officers and 20 other ranks. Enemy were observed bombing down FONTAINE TRENCH and had commenced working round the flanks of this party. At 7.30pm Enemy opened a heavy bombardment of BROWN LINE and appeared to be counter attacking. All troops of 6th, 7th and 8th LEICESTERSHIRE REGT in BROWN LINE and trenches in rear were assembled to counter attack the enemy. Ration carrying parties were brought up and ‘stood to’ in support trench 40 yards in rear of BROWN LINE. At 8.00pm Enemy barrage still continued on BROWN LINE. Lewis gun posts were pushed forward from BROWN LINE. At 8.45pm Enemy barrage weakened considerably and ceased about 9.15pm. At 12.00 midnight Orders received that 13th NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS would take over the BROWN LINE held by the Brigade and that all advance posts of the 110th Infantry Brigade were to be withdrawn.
On Friday June 15th 1917 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “LOCAL AND DISTRICT NEWS” – BROOKSBY. LOCAL GARDENER KILLED.- Private Walter Barnard (27) of the Leicester’s, was killed in action on May 3rd. He was the elder son of Mr and Mrs J. Barnard, of Elton, near Peterborough, and before joining up in August 1914, was employed in Admiral Beatty’s gardens at Brooksby, when he lodged with an aunt, Miss Flint, at Frisby on the Wreake.