Lance Corporal 4627 Walter Ernest Farrow

1st Hertfordshire Regiment

Killed in Action 19th July 1916

Son of Arthur and Leonora Farrow, of "Hillcrest", Durrant's Hill, Hemel Hempstead, Herts.

Le Touret Military Cemetery, Richebourg-L'Avoue, III. J. 13.

Enlisted: Hertford.

Residence: Apsley End.

Walter Ernest Farrow was a young 18 year old Private who was unfortunately killed in action on the 19th of July in 1916 while bravely defending the safety of his country in France. The son of Arthur and Leonora Farrow, he was educated at both Apsley Boys School and the still reputable Berkhamsted Grammar School and, before joining the army to proudly support his country, he was formerly employed in the Civil Service. He was in the 39th Division at Renescure.

Farrow was a proud member of the 1st Hertfordshire Regiment. Leading up to his death, on the 12th of July, the German opposition planned to raid the British trenches at 10:30pm, using a minenwerfer (short mine launcher) to attack. This was an attempt to distract the British away from their trenches but when they attacked they were driven off by the retaliation of ‘our Lewis Gun fire’ as stated in the Battalion War Diary. This tactical defence made the enemy retreat back to their lines, allowing on the 14th of July for the Battalion to be thankfully ‘relieved’ by the 2nd Middlesex Regiment. However, this sweet sense of bliss was sadly short lived for the Regiment due to the fact on the 15th there was news of attacks on several of the serving officers, as well as the looming trench invasion on the 19th which ended in turmoil – resulting in Farrow’s death.

On the 19th of July 1916, in retaliation to the previous German attacks on the British and French trenches, Walter and several other officers within his Regiment attempted a raid upon the opposite German trenches and no prisoners were captured. The diary records the time at roughly 10:40pm. Despite this, the German troops had evacuated these trenches and retreated to either the second or the supporting line. After 10 minutes of searching for documents within the trenches, a bomb attack from the German supporting line. In this attack, 3 O.R. (other ranks) soldiers were killed, 1 O.R was left missing and 12 O.R were left wounded. Sadly, one of the soldiers that was killed in the attack was Walter Farrow. We thank him, his Regiment and the entirety of the brave soldiers in the First World War.

Source:

• 1st Hertfordshire Regiment War Diary, Catalogue Reference: WO 95/2590

By Francesca Burger, Debbie Adu and Adam Wood

24th June 2016