241336 Pte. Walter Speight British Army 8th Battalion, 13 Company, 6 Platoon Kings Own YorkshireLight Infantry from:Castleford, West Yorkshire (d.10th June 1917) Walter Speight enlisted on the 1st of February 1912 and joined the 5th Battalion. K.O.Y.L.I.
Extracts from his Soldiers own diary:
2nd time out 1917 Battle of Messines.
27 April 1917: Left Folkstone, England for Boulogne, France
28 April: Left Boulogne, France for Etaples (15 Miles March)
29 April - 12 May Training in Etaples
13 May: Landed near the Front line at Abeele rest camp
16 May: posted to KOYLI B Company 6 Platoon 3 Section (all decent boys!)
17 May: Training for Attack near Watou
20 May: Sent to rest Billets too ill with Flu Temprature 100.2
24 May: Left rest Billets for railway dugouts behind the front line
25 May: Night Working party St Peter’s Street
26 May: Trenches first left of Hill 60 very hot quarters. Man Named “Smith†who came out with me was killed
27 May: Bombardment
28 May: Bombardment continued 7 Casualties
29-30 May: Straffing pretty freely both sides
31 May: Going to M camp near Poperinge (NEVER TO BE FORGOTTEN)
1 June: 3am Exciting night dodging shells under gas clouds (good days rest)
2 June: spent most of the day writing letters
3 June: Day in Poperinge buying presents for family
4 June: Went to Assembly trench waiting for time to mount
5 June: Assembly trench off St Peter’s Street (nothing Doing to pass time)
There are no More details in the Diary. Walter
died of Wounds on the 10th of June.
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