Walter was born in Bedford on January 2nd, 1895. He was the illegitimate son of Ada Johnson. Nothing is known of his mother other than that she was living at 7 Maldens Yard, Bedford at the time.

In the 1901 Census Walter aged 6 had been ‘adopted’ by Frank Hodgkins, 26, an Agricultural Labourer from Yielden, Beds and his wife Kate Elizabeth Hodgkins (nee Shirley), 27, from Weedon. The couple had married in Pitsford on December 28th, 1899. Also living with them at Notting, Beds were Kate’s brother Harry Shirley, 19, an Agricultural Labourer and another adoptee Cecil J Wilson an 11-year-old thought to be from London.

By 1911 they had moved to Wootton, Beds. Frank, 36, was a Farm Labourer, Kate was 37. By now they had 4 children, 1 of which died in infancy. Surviving children were Susan Ellen, 8, Francis Edward, 5 and Mary Elizabeth, 2 months. Walter (listed as Walter Henry White), 16, was working as a Farm Boy. There is no record of Cecil in the Census. It is believed that he had joined the Cavalry Regiment, the 10th Hussars, and could have been serving abroad.

We do not know the date Walter joined the army. He enlisted at Kettering in the 2nd Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment as Private No.16281 and arrived in France on April 22nd, 1915. The battalion had recently been involved in the Battle of Neuve Chapelle and had suffered a large number of casualties, so no doubt Walter was one of the replacements.

He would have been thrust straight into action taking part in the Battle of Aubers Ridge on May 9th. The battle was a disastrous set-back due to 3 main reasons - exaggerated confidence in the power of artillery against entrenchments and wire, machine gun loopholes at the base of the breastwork came as an unwelcome surprise and the lack of the element of surprise; the Germans knew they were coming and were well prepared. As a result, both the 1st and 2nd battalions were terribly mauled.

A period of relative quiet followed until they were involved in the action of Bois Grenier on September 25th from which they emerged relatively unscathed.

Their next major action was the Battle of the Somme which started on July 1st, 1916. On July 7th they were involved, as part of the 24th Brigade, in the attack of Contalmaison which was won and lost on the same day before being evacuated by the Germans on the 8th.

We do not know when Walter was wounded but he died of his wounds on August 14th, 1916 aged 21.

He was buried in Chocques Military Cemetery, Pas-de-Calais, France and awarded the 1914-15 Star in addition to the British War and Victory Medals.

By the time of his death his adoptive parents had moved into Cranford Road. His ‘adopted brother’ Cecil Wilson was also a victim of the war and is also commemorated on the town memorial.

At the dedication of the War Memorial in 1922 wreaths were laid in memory of both fallen sons from ‘Frank and Kate Hodgkins’ and ‘Friends and relatives (Pitsford and Weston Favell)’.