Chester Chronicle 31/01/1919
William Kirby and Brenda McMahon have submitted the following:-
Walter was born at Thornaby on Tees in 1888. His father was James Dundass Porteous who died in 1897 and his mother was Ann (nee Smith) who died in 1916. The couple married on June 2nd 1868.
Their first child, John, was born February 27th 1868. Next followed Mary Elizabeth (died 1913), William no1 (died 1877), George, William no 2, Thomas and lastly Walter.
The 1901 census shows the family living at 1901 3 Stafford Terrace Thornaby. Mother, Ann, is now head of the household as her husband died 4 years prior to the census being taken. Daughter, Mary, is a teacher in a board school (died 1913), William a pottery printer, Thomas is a potter (furnace stoker) whilst Walter was at school. In 1911 Walter and his mother were still at Thornaby. Walter was a driller in the shipyards.
Walter married his sweetheart, Ethel Dawson at Chester-le-Street in 1917 but unfortunately only a few months later Walter was killed in action at Zonnebeke, Belgium.
Walter had enlisted at Stockton on Tees (date unknown). His original service number was 2819.
There was fighting in October 1917 during the Third battle of Ypres before the battalion settled down to another miserable winter in the trenches however Walter was killed on December 4th 1917.
Walter is listed on the Tyne Cot memorial alongside 35003 of his comrades.
Charlotte was living at Fence Houses by this time. The Chester-le-Street Chronicle 06/09/1918 reports:-
Porteous: In loving memory of Walter Porteous, D.L.I. youngest son of the late James and Ann Porteous of 3 Park Terrace Thornaby and husband of Ethel Porteous nee Dawson of 16 Briarwood Fence Houses who was killed in action October 4th 1917. Lovingly remembered by his wife and brothers.
Walter Porteous is remembered at Great Lumley on G50.01 and G50.02, and at Thornaby on T70.01
He is also remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 273
