Walter Gee

Walter Gee

Walter Gee

Walter Gee was born 1 January 1872....

Walter's World War 1 Medal Rolls Index Card Records Walter's time in the Herts Regiment and the Labour Corps - and him being awarded the Territorial Force War Medal.

Walter Gee The Reverend Procter of St James the Great at Thorley kept a note book of all the men of the Parish who served in the Great War. Walter is in there with the photo here and the words :-

Walter Gee

Company Sergeant Major.

1st Hertfordshire Regiment.

Was in the Hertfordshire Regiment at the outbreak of the War, and was engaged in training recruits until he went out to France in September 1917.

Later on he was placed in charge of the 82nd Company Chinese Labour.

After the signing of the Armistice he went out early in 1919 with 1400 Chinese to Singtao. He reached home on May 13th 1919.

Before the outbreak of the War he was in the employment of the Bishop's Stortford Gas Company.

Home address. 150 London Road.

Walter Gee died during 1920 and the following is an extract from the local news paper giving details of the funeral.

MILITARY FUNERAL -

The Funeral of Ex-Company Sergeant Major Walter Gee, Hertfordshire Regiment, of 150 London Road, took place at Bishop’s Stortford Cemetery on Wednesday with full military honours.

Company Sergeant Major Gee was a native of the town, had seen a good deal of military service and together with his three sons and two sons-in-law served in the war. He first enlisted in the 1st Essex regiment and served for three years in India. On his discharge from the regulars he joined 1st Herts Volunteer Battalion at Bishop’s Stortford and was mobilised with the Regiment on the outbreak of the war. He went to France in September 1917, and later was transferred to a Labour Corps and served until the end of the war.

On demobilisation he returned to his former employment as painter and lamp lighter with the Bishop’s Stortford etc. Gas and Electricity Company.

A month ago, in consequence of an illness contracted while taking troops home to China, he entered St Bartholomew’s Hospital and died there on Wednesday last week at the age of 47.

The funeral procession was headed by the Bishop’s Stortford and Sawbridgeworth’s Platoons of the Hertfordshire Regiment under the command of Captain Gripper (his old Officer) and Lieut. Gripper M.C. and the Battalion Band of the Hertfordshire Regiment under Bandmaster H. C. Nash. On the way to the Cemetery the Dead March in Saul was played. On reaching the Cemetery the Military formed a guard of honour and stood with bowed heads and reversed arms while the funeral cortege passed through. The coffin, wrapped in a Union Jack was covered with beautiful floral tributes. The reverend J. E. I. Procter ( Rector of Thorley) officiated and at the close of the service a firing party in charge of Sergeant Groombridge fired three volleys over the grave, the last post was sounded and the Band played the hymn Days and Moments quickly flying.

The immediate mourners were: Deceased’s Widow, Corporal. F. P. Gee R.A.F. (son), Seaman A.E.Gee (son), Mrs. Hammond (daughter), Mrs. Howe (daughter), Sergeant Major T. Hammond (son-in-law), Miss Betty Gee (daughter) and Thomas Gee (son) Mr. F. Gee (brother), Mrs. Rush (sister), Mr. And Mrs. Bacon (brother-in-law and sister) Mr. S. Goats and Miss. Goats (brother-in-law and sister-in-law), and Mr. W. Goats and Mr. W. Green (cousins).

Following immediately behind the family mourners came four ex-sergeants of the deceased’s old Territorial Regiment, Viz. Messrs. F. Page, E. E. Smith, E. J. C. Norris and T. Tyler; Mr. S. E. Knowles, (Secretary of the Gas and Electricity Co.) Captain R. Staley (Engineer and Manager of the company), Mr. E. T. Brown (distribution Superintendent of the Company) Captain King and a large number of ex-servicemen, including Messrs. P. A. Wyatt, W. Banks, H. P. Clandon, F. Bird, W. S. Thurley, M.M., P. Soanes, D. C. M., B. W. Brewster, R. Johnson, T. Candy, T. Beeson, B. Thurgood, H. Rayner, R. Rogers and A. A. Johnson, Miss. Chisenhale Marsh and Miss. Watts (representing the Bishop’s Stortford and District war pensions Committee), Sergeant. Major Perry (who supervised the whole of the arrangements). Messrs. H. Alderton, W. S. Johnson, F. Clayden, A. M. Law, H. Fenn, A.E. Jackson, G. Stokes, C. Pancher, A. Bull etc. A large number of the townspeople were present. Deceased’s eldest son, Walter Charles, a leading telegraphist on a submarine, is now on the China Station.


Index of Wills and Administrations

GEE Walter of 150 London Road Bishops Stortford Hertfordshire died 24 November 1920 at St Bartholomews Hospital London

Probate London 17 January to Elizabeth Gee widow Effects £361 12s


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