Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Mary Maria Brewster (nee Skelham), born on the 14th June 1853 in Lyddington, Rutland (daughter of Robert Skelham, 1818 and Ann Knighton, 1821). Walter Hinch Brewster was born on the 12th February 1890 in Lyddington and baptised as Walter Brewster on the 25th May 1890 in St. Andrew’s Church, Lyddington, his siblings were, Henry Brewster, a schoolboy, born in the October quarter of 1882 and baptised on the 6th May 1883 in St. Andrew’s Church, Lyddington, Rosina Hinch Brewster, a schoolgirl, born in the July quarter of 1884 and baptised as Rosina Brewster on the 2nd January 1887 in St. Andrew’s Church, Lyddington, Frederick William Brewster, a schoolboy, born in the October quarter of 1886 and baptised on the 2nd January 1887 in St. Andrew’s Church, Lyddington and John Hinch Brewster, born in the October quarter of 1888 and baptised as John Brewster on the 25th May 1890 in St. Andrew’s Church, Lyddington, all his siblings were born in Lyddington, also residing with the family was an half-blood sibling, George Henry Skellams, an agricultural labourer, born in the July quarter of 1877 in Lyddington and Henry Hinch, an agricultural labourer, born in the January quarter of 1857 in Panton, Lincolnshire and baptised on Easter Eve 1857 in St. Andrew’s Church, Panton (son of Henry Hinch and Ann Cannon), in April 1891 the family home was at Chapel Yard, Village Street, Lyddington.
In March 1901 Walter Hinch Brewster was residing in the family home at Front Street, Lyddington, together with his mother Mary Hinch, an assistant laundress, Henry Hinch, a shepherd, and his siblings Frederick Hinch, a farm labourer and John Hinch.
In April 1911 Walter was absent from the family home in Lyddington, residing there was his mother, a laundress and his brother John, a tailor, also residing with the family was Henry Hinch, a shepherd and Walter’s nephew, Lawrence Smith, born 1903 in Sheffield, Yorkshire, meanwhile Walter was serving with the 2nd Battalion Leicestershire Regiment and was stationed at Fort Saint George, Madras, India.
Walter’s mother married Henry Hinch in the April quarter of 1916 in the Uppingham, Rutland district.
FAMILY NOTES: Walter was officially recorded at birth as Walter Hinch Brewster, although sometime after the 1891 census his name is recorded as Walter Hinch, and it seems that he and his siblings continued to be known by this surname, which is apparent in the census returns for March 1901 and April 1911. Walter also served in the Military using this surname.
Walter’s mother married Thomas Brewster on the 23rd May 1881 in the Church of St. John the Baptist, Hungarton, Leicestershire, Thomas was born in the April quarter of 1857 and was baptised on the 4th July 1857 in St. Andrew’s Church, Lyddington (son of Thomas Brewster, 1813 and Jane Skelhorne, 1822)
The true family name is Brewster, Walter Hinch.
Walter had served for six and a half years with the 2nd Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, and came from India (Delhi) with the first expeditionary force for action in France. On the 23rd November 1914 he was wounded in his right shoulder by shrapnel, and in his right ankle by a bullet. After recovering from his wounds, he was sent with his regiment to the Persian Gulf where he was killed in action.
Walter’s army service enlistment documents do not survive, therefore the currently available information pertaining to his military service has been obtained from the following sources: - 1921 HMSO Publication, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914 - 1919, WW1 Service Medal and Award Rolls, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, WW1 Medal Rolls Index Cards, WW1 Pension Ledgers and Index Cards and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Registers.
Enlisted/Attested in Leicester into the Regular Army. Date not known.
Joined. At Leicester. Date not known.
Posted. To Depot Leicestershire Regt. Pte. Date not known.
Allotted the Regimental Service number 8415.
Posted. To 2nd Bn. Leicestershire Regt. Pte. Date not known.
First entered the theatre of war in France. 12/10/14.
Embarked. From Marseilles. 10/11/15.
Disembarked. At Alexandria. 17/11/15.
Embarked. From Port Suez. 23/11/15.
Disembarked. At Basra. 8/12/15.
Killed in action. In the Field. 13/1/16.
Body not recovered. Commemorated on the Basra Memorial, Iraq.
Awarded the 1914 Star with Clasp & Rose, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In the event of his death, Walter nominated his mother Mary Maria, his brothers Henry and John and sister Rose as his legatees.
The War Diary records: 13 Jan-16 - Patrols sent out at daybreak who reported small parties of enemy in the direction of the WADI RIVER. It was believed that the enemy were holding an advanced entrenched position with their left on the Fort. Orders were issued for the Battalion and the 56th (F.F.) RIFLES to drive back the enemy from the forward position and take up a line 800 yards or so beyond it to enable our artillery to shell the main position on the WADI RIVER. “C” and “D” Companies were in the firing line, “A” and “B” Companies in Reserve. The orders were carried out without encountering any opposition and the Battalion dug themselves in. At 1.27pm report on enemy’s position was forwarded to Brigade. At 2.17pm further report on enemy’s position forwarded. At 3.30pm the Battalion with the 56th (F.F.) RIFLES on their right resumed the advance with orders to attack and occupy enemy’s main position along the WADI RIVER, thereby assisting the turning movement being carried out by the rest of the VII Div. Formation of Battalion attack. Enemy opened fire at about 1100 yards range. The line continued steadily to advance until they got to within 450 yards of the enemy, by which time the Reserves (“A” and “B” Companies) had reinforced the firing line. Here a heavy fire was kept up on the enemy’s trenches which could now be seen extending along the whole length of the WADI. Ammunition was brought up and the Battalion prepared for the assault. (Time about 4.48pm). At this stage the right flank of the Battalion became subjected to enfilade machine gun and rifle fire. The assault was not carried out and the Battalion dug themselves in with both flanks thrown back. About this time Major LEWIS was wounded and the Battalion had suffered a loss of 3 other officers (Lieutenant A. E. DAKIN, 2nd Lieutenant R. W. G. CARD, 2nd Lieutenant T. C. D. HASSALL all wounded) and 197 other ranks. Captain WEIR now in command. At 5.30pm and 8.00pm messages were sent by orderly to 28th Brigade explaining the situation. As darkness set in the enemy’s fire developed into desultory sniping with occasional bursts of fire along different parts of the line. At about 11.00pm verbal orders arrived from Brigade for the Battalion to withdraw from its present position and take up a line 800 yards or so in rear in conjunction with the other units of the Brigade, with a view to our artillery preparation being carried out the next morning. This withdrawal was carried out with no casualties, by 2.30am, and the Battalion again dug themselves in.
On Friday February 18th 1916, The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “DISTRICT WAR ITEMS.” – UPPINGHAM DISTRICT CASUALTIES. Private Walter Hinch, aged 26, of the 2nd Leicester’s, was killed at the Persian Gulf on January 13th. He lived at Lyddington, and had served eight years in the army. He was wounded before going to the Persian Gulf.
On Friday 25th, February 1916, The Lincoln, Rutland and Stamford Mercury published the following article on page 6, under the heading. – LYDDINGTON. – KILLED IN ACTION. – Priv. W. Hinch, 26, 2nd Leicester’s, a native of Lyddington, was killed in action in the Persian Gulf operations on Jan. 13. He came from India when the war broke out, and had previously served in France. His service in the forces extended over eight years. Last year he was incapacitated and invalided home for a time from the front.
[recognitum XXXI-V-MMXXIV]

Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Photograph provided by Cristina (28/07/24).